Tales of The Dragon of the West
by Wolvenfire86
Summary: A prelude about my favorite firebender...IROH, The Dragon of the West. Stories of his youth, his loves, his family, his adventures, his suffering and his life lessons.
1. Young Man I

**I do not own Iroh, Ozai, Ursa, Zuko, or any of the other wonderful Avatar characters or their world. But I wish I did. T_T**

* * *

**Young Man I**

"Prince Iroh!" Siku yelled but no one answered. He knocked on the door again, louder than before. "Prince Iroh! Your father has requested your presence in the royal courtyard!" Still, no answer. The firebender knocked once more.

Only silence came from behind the prince's door. Siku slowly entered, afraid to wake the prince if he was asleep.

"Prince I…" Iroh's bed was empty. His sheets were tied together and hung out of his window. "Not again!" Siku slapped his forehead.

* * *

"Now go. And be quick about it!" Siku said as he and his vassals left the castle, quietly, and spread out among the town. They split into groups and were ordered to find to young prince as fast as possible

But Siku didn't need to look for long. He only searched for ten minutes before hearing a very familiar sound.

In the park in the center of town, he heard the chipper melody of young girls giggling. Siku sighed and ran towards their childish voices.

By the fountain sat the young prince, handsome and strong. On both of his sides sat a very pretty girl, each in his arms. The girls were dressed in coarse robes and wore no make-up. They were both covering their mouths to hide the smiles Iroh had given them.

"Oh, but what would happen if my father found you?" One of the maidens asked, leaning on the prince's shoulder.

"My little nightingale…" Iroh wooed her without worry. "…should anyone keep us apart, I would find a way to be with you." He tickled her chin.

"But what about me?" The other girl asked and tugged on his arm, copping a feel of his biceps.

"Well, I guess we'd need to have a secret love affair. Unless you girls don't mind…sharing." Iroh smiled. The girls squealed.

"Oh, you're so naughty."

"A-HEM!" Siku got Iroh's attention.

"Oh. Hello master." Iroh waved. The young girls spotted the royal emblem on Siku's robe and became silent. "This is Jinko and…Shina was it?" Iroh introduced the girls to his fire bending master, but the girls didn't say a word.

"Young man, your father demanded to speak with you and your brother over an hour ago. The whole castle is in an uproar over your negligence…again!"

"Calm down Siku. I was only having a little fun."

Siku grabbed Iroh's wrist and pulled him away from the fountain. "Well, I think you've had enough _fun_ for a while. And you are only to address me as _master_! Now back to the castle with you."

As Siku dragged Iroh away from his young loves, he waved to them and yelled "Goodbye my beautiful flowers. I will dream of you tonight."

The girls blushed one more time before Iroh disappeared.

* * *

Iroh sat in his room with his door locked from the outside. Fire Lord Azulon was not happy with his son's escapade. Naturally the guards were blamed, but Iroh was still punished. The royal family couldn't afford to have the heir to the throne running off with some peasant girls.

So Iroh sat in his room, with the door locked, trapped. He looked up at his ceiling, thinking of the two girls and how different they were form anyone in the palace. He wanted to see it, the rest of the world. Not just outside the castle, but all of it! He wanted to climb mountains in the earth kingdom. He dreamed of skating on the ice of the water tribes.

And the ocean…"_yes"_, he thought, the ocean called to him louder than any other temptation…except maybe women and tea.

"Some day…" He said out loud. He finished the sentence in his head. "…_I will see the world…I will be a hero…some day…some day I will be more than just a prince to my nation_." Iroh slipped into a dream as he recited those precious words to himself. That night, he dreamed of the wide ocean. And adventure. And tea.


	2. Lessons

**Lessons**

And he bent and danced and twisted and punched and kicked, but he still had trouble.

"NO!" Siku yelled at his student. Iroh stopped in his tracks. Siku approached him and marched around the prince. "Stop relying on those muscles of yours! You think that your strength will be there when you are old? Power from fire bending is in the breath, not the muscles! Now try it again!"

Iroh inhaled and preformed the same movements, but still did not get it right.

"No, no, no! You're not generating enough energy from your stomach. That is the Sea of Chi, for the millionth time. Draw your strength from there and you will be stronger. Again!"

"Master, how about a break? We've been at this for over an hour." Iroh begged.

"You think that an enemy will stop attacking just because you are tired?"

"But…" An idea struck Iroh like a lightning bolt. "…I am having trouble concentrating. If I had some Jasmine in my 'Sea of Chi' as you call it…I'm sure I'll have much more focus."

Siku paused, knowing that his student only wanted to rest.

"Fine…five minutes, then back to work." Siku glared at his student, who bowed respectfully back and then bounded away to the royal kitchen. "_What am I going to do with that boy?_" Siku asked himself, shaking his head.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Iroh was back to his lesson. He focused and inhaled deeply. He bent and danced and twisted and punched…POW!…and kicked…BANG! And finally, after so much sweat and mental anguish, he accomplished his first high level technique.

"Very good student. I'm proud of you." Siku bowed to him and Iroh bowed back.

"It was easy." Iroh boasted. Siku grunted.

"Well, I think that's enough for today. I guess you can go."

"Thank you master." Iroh ran away.

"But stay inside the castle!" Siku reminded him.

Iroh was convinced that he could have performed the technique the any time, but chose not to. He just wanted to give his master another headache. And to grab some Jasmine Tea before leaving.


	3. Pai Sho

**Pai Sho  
**

"Uh…" Iroh pushed his Dragon tile over to the Boat.

"You can't do that." Siku told him.

"Oh. Sorry." Iroh picked it back up and pushed it over to the red side.

"Okay." Siku jumped him and took his Dragon off the board.

"Argh!" Iroh groaned. "Not again!"

"Don't worry, you're getting better." Siku mocked him with a compliment. "It's your move."

"I know." Iroh groaned. He looked at his pieces and, without putting much thought into his decision, pushed his Lily tile over to the red side.

"That too is an illegal move."

"Fine." Iroh re-moved it. Siku jumped him and took his piece off the board. "I don't like this game." Iroh declared.

"It's something you have to get used to. Like fire bending, it requires practice and patience. You're just jumping into whatever looks good and not thinking of the consequences of what could happen."

"Fire bending is different from a game."

"Is it? In life, we compete, we fight, we lose and win. The difference is that life is a game meant to be played, but not to be beaten. And, as I just said, consequences are usually irreversible. Remember that my student."

Iroh reflected on his master's words, then looked back at the Pai Sho board. He picked up the White Louts tile and held it in the air.

"I like this piece." Iroh announced to his master.

"Ah, the White Lotus. There is a great secret behind that little piece. Is that why you like it so, my student?"

"No. It only moves one or two spaces at a time. It's easy for a beginner like me to use." Iroh smiled and his teacher slapped his forehead.


	4. Sibling Rivalry

**Sibling Rivalry**

Iroh sat on the stool, reflecting, meditating, diving deep inside his own mind. He heard the turtle-ducks splash in the pond and the wind blow. He felt peace swallow him and his heart beat louder.

Then he felt a rock hit the back of his shoulder.

"Eee-ouch!" He yelled. His younger brother giggled proudly. "Go away Ozai." Iroh pushed his brother away from him.

"Make me." Ozai pushed his brother off his seat. Iroh jumped up, standing a foot taller than his younger sibling, and pushed Ozai back. Ozai punched him in his stomach and ran, knowing that Iroh would follow him across the courtyard.

"Get back here you little rat!" Iroh ran after his brother, swing his fists at the child, but Ozai was a bit faster and kept dodging his blows.

Eventually, Ozai ducked down and shot a thin blast of fire over Iroh's head, just barely lighting his hair on fire.

"Whoa! Watch it!" Iroh threatened Ozai, who stuck out his tongue and rasp-berried him. Iroh grabbed Ozai by his robe and lifted him off the ground. But his conscience stopped him from delivering the blow that Ozai so rightfully deserved.

"You don't have the guts, do you?" Ozai teased his older brother.

"Just get out of here squirt." Iroh turned around and walked away from his spoiled sibling.

"If you don't have the guts to do _that_, how will you finish the war when you are crowned, huh?" Ozai yelled, but Iroh didn't answer. "You won't! That's why I should be fire lord! I'd be a better one than you brother!"


	5. Young Man II

**Young Man II**

"And here, my good lords, you will see the grand portraits of past fire lords." Siku escorted the rich noblemen and women down the hallways of the palace.

They were there from the Earth Kingdom colonies, visiting on official business to maintain peace between the motherland and the new lands. Siku was told to "_keep them occupied_" until Fire Lord Azulon was done with "_more important matters_". The Fire Lord did not have patience or respect for "_Earth Kingdom half-breeds_", as he so delicately described them. Siku decided that a grand tour of the royal grounds was appropriate.

So, after a successfully lecture of Fire Nation history, they had reach the gallery of the former Fire Lords.

"Here is Fire Lord Sozin, the king who began to war and inventor of the 'Rising Comet' technique, which he learned after studying the comet that was later named after him."

One of the noblemen raised their hands.

"Yes?" Siku pointed to him.

"What is that above his head?" He pointed to the very top of the enormous picture.

Siku turned around and looked. His eyes widened. A pair of bunny ears was drawn in ink near Sozin's crown and a few symbols that read _'I smell_' came out of his mouth.

"IIIIIROOOOHH!!!" Siku yelled at the top of his lung.

"Now, we run!" Iroh said to Ozi, handing his younger brother the ink brush that committed the crime.


	6. Forever Rivals

**Forever Rivals**

Siku carefully brushed the ink over his scroll. Calligraphy is a fine art and Siku wanted to make sure that every drop he put on the scroll was absolutely perfect…

**SLAM**! As the door to his study swung open, Siku's grip on his brush loosened and his scroll was ruined.

"Master Siku!" One of the guards alerted him. "Come quick! It's the prince!"

"Which one?" Siku calmly asked.

"Um…both of them!" And the guard ran back to the courtyard. Siku jumped off his stool and ran.

* * *

"Get off of me!"

"You spoiled brat!"

"I hate you! You hypocritical fool!"

The usual arguing between the two Fire Princes had erupted into a full-on fire bending fight. Half of the garden was burnt down and the two were wrestling on the upturned dirt. Iroh was winning because of his larger size, but Ozai refused to give up and his older brother's compassion kept the fight from truly ending.

Siku ran over to them and separated the boys before they could cause anymore damage.

"What is wrong with you two?" Siku yelled at them, one hand around each of their collarbones.

"He started it!" Iroh yelled and pointed at his younger brother.

"Arrr!" Ozai yelled, lifted his legs off the ground and kicked his brother in his stomach. Siku pinched the boy's neck and Ozai fell to his knees.

"Ozai, you are being disrespectful and destructive. Your father will not be pleased with you." Siku dragged Ozai across the garden. The young boy kicked and squirmed, still bent on attacking Iroh even after Siku had humiliated him.

* * *

Ozai was locked in his room for the next two days, and received only oOne meal every twenty-four hours. His time alone was there to reflect on what he had done to his mother's beautiful garden. But all Ozai's spare time allowed him to do was reflect on his boiling hatred.

He hated how his father looked proudly at Iroh and looked down on him.

He hated how Iroh made the maids smile and laugh.

And worst of all, he hated seeing the crown of the prince in his hair. He hated everything about his older brother…the future Fire Lord. Number One!

Ozai, however, had something Iroh did not have.

He was not as strong as Iroh…but he was smarter. Ozai _knew _he was. While Iroh told the truth and kept his promises, Ozai knew how to lie and cheat and deceive.

That was his strength. "_That…_" He told himself. _"…is how I will end him_." And with a clenched fist, the young Ozai fell into a hate-filled sleep, dreaming of his brother falling off his throne.


	7. Haiku

I am posting one fic as Old Iroh…more Young Iroh after this chapter. Call this comical relief.

* * *

**Haiku**

**_In the pot, you stir,_**

**_Waiting for your mixer's lips_**

**_To sip your magic_**

"Will you stop it already!" Zuko demanded his uncle leave him alone, but Iroh kept following his nephew down the ship's hallway. "You've been reciting poems about your stupid tea ever since I woke up."

"I need someone to remember them in case I forget. How about this one…

**_Leaves transform the waves_**

**_Into a delicate blend_**

**_Of heavenly love._**

Iroh hugged his tea cup and Zuko groaned again. "What do you think?"

"I think you're wasting my time!" Zuko yelled.

"I think that I need a conscription for these poems." Iroh stroked his beard. "Oh! One more! One more!"

"No!"

"Go? Okay, here is it…a-hem…

**_Flame and porcelain touch…"_**

"Porcelain is three syllables." Zuko growled, hoping that Iroh would give up.

"Awwww! You're right." Iroh moaned.

"Well, better luck next time unc…"

"Wait! I got it…

**_Hot flames underneath_**

**_The porcelain of the king_**

**_To warm his cold heart_**

"Not bad huh? I bet you didn't know your uncle was a talented writer, did you Prince Zuko?" Iroh's elbow poked his (annoyed) nephew. Then Zuko got an idea.

"Yeah, that was fantastic. Maybe you should tell the crew those poems."

"You know that's a good idea!"

"Have fun. I have some work to…" Iroh grabbed Zuko's arm and pulled him.

"I need you to help me recite them. I'm an old man and I may not remember all of the words."

Zuko whined all the way to the crews' cabins.


	8. Meditation

First part in a 5 part mini-series

* * *

**Meditation  
**

"Om…Om…Om…" Iroh repeated, over and over, again and again. The Perfect Word resonated across his lips. He was not enlightened and doubted he would ever reach such a high plateau, but he knew the importance of reflecting on thoughts. At least that's what he wanted people to think.

A long while ago, after escaping one too many times, his father had "forbidden" him from leaving the castle grounds. Naturally, Iroh found new ways to escape every week. After running out of ideas, he had figured out a new, almost full proof plan to guarantee an easy escape. If he meditated every week for a long period of time, soon the entire castle would quickly know not to disturb him during certain hours of the day, thus giving Iroh plenty of time to run around the village.

But that meant that he actually _had_ to meditate for a few weeks in order to get Siku off his back.

So while everyone thought he was on the path to enlightenment (for literally hours a day), the prince would usually do push-ups or think of new jokes with his extra spare time.

He did try meditating a few times, but nothing happened. He didn't see a beam of light or feel the touch of the Gods or even feel remotely better from his practice. Siku had told him that "_everyone fails at meditation the first few times._" and that it required at least three tries to make even the slightest progress, that you need time to learn everything including meditation. But Iroh had no need to practice the art of wisdom, not when there was such a big world out there to see.

But one day…

…about four weeks into his little plan, Iroh decided to give meditation one last try. He concentrated carefully. He focused only on his breathing, ignoring everything outside of his room.

Then, without warning, Iroh couldn't feel his legs or arms. He felt his head tingle and a gentle sensation travel to the rest of his body.

He saw something, a vision through his third eye.

He saw a river in a forest. He saw a girl, young and beautiful…standing alone. When Iroh tried to approach, she vanished into the wind like she was made of ashes.

Quickly, Iroh's eyes sprung open, not sure what had just happened. Confused, he looked around his room. For some reason, everything looked duller, less interesting, less authentic.

* * *

_Knock, knock!_

"Yes, yes. Come in." Siku said as he looked over his scroll.

"Master? Are you busy?" Iroh asked as he peaked inside the room.

"No Young Prince. You may enter." Siku put his scroll down and lit another candle. "Is something troubling you?"

"Yes sir…there is."

Iroh told his fire bending master what he had envisioned, speaking very carefully, trying not to reveal his escape plan. Siku listened intently, happy that his student was finally walking down the path of the Soul.

"Well…" Siku said after his student had finished "…it sounds as if something inside your own spirit is trying to tell you something."

"But what? What does it mean?" Iroh was eager to know.

"Well…why don't you meditate on it?" Siku smiled.

Iroh felt like punching him. Every time Iroh had a problem that could have easily been solved with some simple advice, Siku told him to "meditate on it", which, to Iroh, translated to"'figure it out yourself".

Iroh bowed. "Thank you master." And then left his study, more annoyed than when he walked in.

* * *

Iroh did not "meditate on it", too frustrated with his master to even try. But he did_ think _about his vision over and over again. In the same way his teachers taught him to study his dreams, Iroh studies his vision.

Eventually, he guessed that his vision came upon him because he was so eager to get out of the palace.

Then he tired to think of who the girl could have been. He remembered meeting and charming many girls in town…but never seeing them again after that. Iroh had romanced many girls and most had been very nice, but at the same time none of them even knew his real name. None of them had been more than a flirtatious experiment to him. And none of them knew that the prince was only trying to escape the palace because…

"Because…" Iroh repeated out loud, as the meaning of the vision suddenly dawned on him.

He was only trying to escape the palace because he was lonely. He could not hold on to any of the girls he met, even if he wanted to. He could never have a friend…a _real_ friend...that wasn't of royal or noble blood. The only "friends" he had was his master, his younger brother (who hated him) and a few younger servants, and none of them were very "friendly".

Iroh felt his heart swell up. His mater said that "_the truth is as uplifting as the wind_"

But Iroh didn't like the truth.


	9. Tai Ming

**Tai Ming**

Once again, Iroh had snuck out of the castle to see what the village had to offer.

He bought a few dumplings and fruits with the money he stole from the royal treasury…and, as always, a cup of warm tea to go with them.

He took a walk through the park and avoided the guards who were looking for him. He climbed over the roof tops and listened to Siku, his fire bending master, as he furiously yelled at the castle soldiers for "_not finding the Prince yet_". He laughed gently, amazed at how easy it was to outsmart them all.

After exploring the town for hours, he found a little patch of grass just outside the edge of the royal city where he could be alone and watch the sun set. He spent many evenings there…just thinking.

As the day ended, Iroh's smile stretched as wide as the horizon before him, enjoying the food in his stomach and the exhausted feeling one gets in their legs after a busy, fulfilling day.

He lay down. He wore no shirt, to better hide his royal blood, and relished the feeling of the cool, soft grass on his back.

He thought to himself "_If I hurry back home now, I may be able to get to my room and act like I never left._"

Iroh laughed as he imagined what Siku's face would look like if he thought that Iroh had never left the palace.

"May I ask what's so funny?" Iroh tilted his head back and saw a girl looking down at him. Iroh rolled onto his belly and forced himself back up with only his hands.

The girl was a little bit shorter than him. She had very plain clothes on, but her hair was beautiful and long, blacker than a night sky. Her eyes were very dark and her lips were curved gently, perfectly. He was sure that she was smiling at him, probably because she was friendly but perhaps because he was shirtless.

"Well…" Iroh stared to answer her question, but then realized that she was very good looking, "…I was thinking of how nice it would be to have a beautiful girl to talk to. And, sure enough, the spirits and fate sent us to each other."

"Oh really?" The girl's eyebrow crocked, but her smile stayed under her nose. "And what, may I now ask, is the reason for our meeting?"

"Why, what else? A beautiful sunset, just the two of us…" Iroh winked at her.

"May I sit with you then?" She spoke elegantly, even though she was dressed like a mere peasant.

"Of course." Iroh sat back down on the grass and the girl sat next to him, crossing her legs and putting her hands on her lap.

"So, young man…do you always watch the sunset with no clothes on?" She asked, looking at his chest.

"Not everyday. Not in the winter of course."

"You wear you clothes then, do you?"

"I try to. But I am just a poor commoner. I cannot afford riches like the fire lord or any nobleman near the palace." He grinned.

"I see that. I am a peasant too."

"I can tell." Iroh and the girl both smiled.

"Where do you live?" She asked.

"Why? Are you going to come looking for me later?"

"Maybe." She smiled, enjoying Iroh's company. "Don't be so ashamed to talk about having little money. We may not have gold or jewels, but unlike the rich, we both have something they do not have."

"And what is that?" Iroh was intrigued with this girl. There was something about her that sparked her interest. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was, but he knew he liked it.

"The ability to have fun whenever we want." She smiled at him.

"Well, I'm sure the rich must have some fun."

"Yes, but they need rubies and gold to buy the things they like. We need only a sunset."

Iroh smiled at her again, intrigued. "What is your name?" He asked.

She paused. "Tai Ming." She said and leaned back, balancing on the palms of her hands.

"Beautiful. It suits you."

"And what is yours?"

"Yun." Iroh always faked his name outside the palace.

"Well, Yun…I've had such a wonderful day. It's nice to run into a friendly stranger."

"Wait a minute. If I'm a stranger, shouldn't you be scared of me? My mother always told me to stay away from strangers." Iroh couldn't stop smiling around her.

"I have no reason to be scared. And people should not be afraid to speak to strangers. Having a good conversation with a complete stranger is one of life's true delights. But most people do not even try it."

Iroh was inspired by what she had said. He memorized it, and instantly internalized it.

"Besides…" She continued. "…I don't think you a bad person."

"Thank you." Iroh bowed his head. "I'm glad I ran into you Tai Ming. It's nice to speak to someone I can relate too."

The two of them stayed there for almost an hour, watching the sunset and listening to each other. Tai Ming did not speak with a simple tone like other people Iroh had met outside the palace. She was very smart. She was also talented. She knew how to sing well and could sew. The two of them had a lot more in common. When Iroh heard that she loved tea, he felt a strong impulse to propose to her.

The hour flew by. The sun was behind the horizon before they knew it and they were still talking.

"I should probably leave." Tai Ming stood up.

"What? Are you sick of me already?" Iroh stood up next to her.

"I'll make you a deal. I'll be back here as the sun is setting next week if you want to continue our conversation."

"It's a date!" Iroh said.

"A date?" Tai Ming grinned.

"Yes. A date. Another quite sunset with just the two of us. A date." Iroh plucked a flower off the ground and gave it to her her. "And I am already looking forward to it."

Tai Ming smiled and took the flower from Iroh. Then she ran away, looking back at him before she reentered the town. Iroh waved to her and then, after she had vanished from his sights, he ran back to the palace.

* * *

"FOR THE THOUSANDTH, THOUSANDTH, THOUSANDTH TIME!" Siku was not happy with Iroh. "You are NOT allowed to leave the palace grounds unattended!"

"I'm sorry master." Iroh spoke like a child, mocking Siku.

"THIS ISN'T A JOKE!"

"I know Master. I'm sorry." His tone did not change.

"Do you have any idea what your father would do if he knew you were running away from home every other week?"

"I'm sorry Master."

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME!"

"I know Master. I'm sorry."

"WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH YOU!" Siku pointed to one of the guards. "Take him to his room, lock the door and make sure his window is guarded!"

"Yes sir!" The guard approached Iroh and pulled him off the chair. Iroh went completely limp and the guard had to drag him by his knees.

* * *

For the first time in many months, Iroh had different dreams. Most nights, he dreamt of the ocean, seeing the world and being a hero. But dreams of adventures and traveling stayed far away from him that night.

That night…he thought of a girl with long black hair who liked sunsets and flowers.

And tea.


	10. Winter Rendezvous

**Winter Rendezvous**

Iroh ran quickly over the frosty chill under his feet. There was barely half an inch of melted snow on the ground but that was enough to make any young fire bender uncomfortable.

He left town, unnoticed, and found the usual spot where he and Tai Ming met. It had been two seasons since they first ran into each other and Iroh looked forward to each upcoming encounter more eagerly then the last one. During the summer, they meet in secret weekly, but, after getting caught a little too often (even for Iroh) the prince decided that they should see each other every _other _week. This was even more romantic.

Iroh blasted a ring of fire on the ground where they usually sat and plopped down, waiting for his date to arrive.

He waited, meditated, counted the snow flakes as they fell, but Tai Ming did not show up.

He sat for an hour, but still sat alone.

After almost and hour and a half of waiting, he sat up, figuring that she must have been caught sneaking out of her house. Just as he was about to leave, he heard the crushing sound of snow.

Tai Ming hugged him from behind. Iroh smiled and rubbed her hand, happy that she was there.

"You, my fair lady, are late." He said, not minding that she took so long.

"I was a little…side tracked." Tai Ming hugged him tighter. "Sorry Yun." She used his Iroh's alias, not knowing his real name.

"Do not worry Tai Ming. I'm just happy that you are here." He spun around and took her hands off him. Even though he liked her (and maybe even loved her), Iroh was still not used to touching people, a habit that he developed from years of high class etiquette.

"I brought you a present." Tai Ming took the bag she carried with her off her shoulder and pulled out a small but sturdy tea pot.

"Oh, I wonder what it could be." Iroh said, sarcastically, but with a smile.

* * *

They both sat with each other, sharing stories and jokes. As usual, Iroh had to pretend that he was a peasant. He gave his family different names as he told her tales about them. His younger brother Shi-ten (Ozai) was brazen and jealous of him. His father, Huo Ten (Azulon), was very strict and didn't approve of him leaving the house. And, or course, his wise guardian Hanno (Siku) was uptight, but occasionally fun.

Iroh memorized everything he could about Tai Ming, listening to her stories with great interest. They were the same age, she had four younger sisters, she hated spiders and she loved to eat deserts. Her father owned a business and her mother was a good cook.

Iroh was so interested in her and he couldn't figure out why. His head didn't have an answer. His heart told him he was in love.

As usual, hours passed and it still didn't seem like long enough. Tai Ming poured Iroh his last bit of tea and then put her tea pot away.

"Leaving already?" Iroh grinned at her.

"Yes. My father is going to need help when my sisters get home." She stood up. Iroh did as well.

"Well…same time, in two weeks?" Iroh swallowed the rest of his tea and gave her the cup back.

"I will try to be punctual next time." She smiled back at him.

The wind blew around them. Tai Ming moved in closer to Iroh. Without thinking, she kissed him and quickly backed away.

"Well…" Iroh blushed, but his smiled grew wider than ever.

"I'm…sorry…" Tai Ming was smiling as well.

"Don't be." Iroh gave her another kiss, just as gentle, just as fast.

Tai Ming smiled and walked away from him. Iroh waved to her, turned around and began to walk back to the palace.

Then, from behind him, he heard the strangest thing. He heard Tai Ming say goodbye to him. To _him!_ He could have sworn he heard her say "_Goodbye Iroh_", but when he turned around, the young girl had already left.

Iroh guessed that he may have imagined it.

And then he felt sad. He wished he didn't have to lie to her. He reminded himself that it was for the best.

He had to remind himself that every time they left each other.


	11. Arranged Marriage

It's my birthday today! March 6th! ^_^

* * *

**Arranged Marriage**

"WHAT!" Iroh felt his heart shatter. Five minutes before he was about to sneak out of the palace to meet with the peasant girl whom he had fallen in love with, Siku walked into his room to announced the worst news the prince had ever heard.

"Calm down Prince Iroh. You're sixteen now, this is customary for all Fire Nation men of noble blood."

Iroh's jaw was hanging off his mouth and he felt something painful swell up in his throat.

"It's not like you don't have _any_ choices." Siku said. "In a few hours, a dozen wealthy couples will come with their daughters and you may pick which ever one you wish. Then the courtship will begin after you decide which you like." Siku saw the horrified look on his student's face. "Iroh…this…is how things are. I don't know what else to tell you."

"But…master, I…I don't know any of these girls. How can I love someone whom I know nothing about or do not…"

"Whoa, whoa…one moment my pupil. Who said anything about loving your wife? These marriages are for political reasons. For the future of the family."

"What?"

"You may have as many mistresses as you like. Just make sure they stay a secret." Siku smiled at him slyly. "You're good at keeping secrets, aren't you?"

"What? Siku…do…do you hear what you are saying?"

"That's enough Iroh. I'm not the reason this is happening, I'm merely conveying what your father wanted me to tell you. You knew that this would happen at your age. We avoided reminding so that you wouldn't run off again. Don't think he doesn't know about your weekly escapades."

Iroh didn't have the strength to argue with him. He was blown away.

"Well…get dressed. The ladies will be here in an hour."

"An hour?" Iroh yelled. Siku left without another word.

Iroh couldn't believe what had just happened. The past year had been one of the happiest of his life. He had secretly escaped his room every other week to go to a hidden part of town to meet with Tai Ming, the peasant who had quickly stolen his heart. And now he would never see her again.

* * *

Everything happened so fast that day. Within a few minutes after Iroh left his room, fully dressed and combed, guests began to arrive. Everyone knew about the event except Iroh himself.

Each came with gifts and offerings to the Fire Lord, eagerly hoping that their daughter would be the one Prince Iroh would choose to marry. The girls were all either Iroh's age or younger. Some had on ridiculous hair ornaments and veils that Iroh would have laughed at on a normal occasion. They were all wearing fine make-up, perfume and silk dresses, every one of them trying to impress the heart-broken Prince.

But none of them won him over. He would never care about them. Still, as they passed him, excited and hopeful, Iroh knew he had to pick one. It was crushing to know that the one girl he wanted was miles away.

"Where is the Shin family?" Siku said as he fanned himself outside the castle gates.

"They are probably late, as usual." One of Siku's friends spoke with him. "I hear that their daughter is…"

"Oh yes. I've heard all about their girl. Pretty, but…there's something not quite right with her."

On cue, the last carriage pulled up to the palace gates. Shin Hung, the father, and his wife came out of the cart, trying to be formal.

"Here they are." Siku's friend said. "I don't know why they even bothered showing up. So what if they are rich merchant? They're barely even middle class. Not fit to even bow before the Fire Lord."

The Shins helped their daughter out of the back seat and slowly approached Iroh.

The prince wasn't paying attention. Each girl who had greeted him, he bowed back to with a fake smile and a heavy heart. Each beautiful girl was stuck-up and fake, nothing Iroh wanted in a friend, let alone a wife. He only wanted one girl in the whole Fire Nation.

"Prince Iroh!" Siku barked at him. Iroh came back to reality and greeted the two adults.

"Prince Iroh…" Mrs. Shin bowed deeply. "…it is a great honor to be in your presence." She stood back up and presented their daughter to her. "This is our oldest daughter, our little flower, Meng Ha." He looked up at her...

…and the young prince laughed. Fate had such a good sense of humor.

The reason that Tai Ming always wanted to meet in a secret location and why Iroh could never find her in the town streets…was because _SHE _was a liar too.

In front of the prince stood his love, his peasant girl. Dressed in silk and jewels, his dream girl was just like him, intelligent and proper and restless. She hated being cooped up inside all day so she snuck out of her rich home as well, faked her name, pretended to be ordinary, just like Iroh.

Iroh could not believe how fate had strung them together yet again. He was silent for a while, only staring into her eyes. She smiled back, knowing who he was all along.

"Prince Iroh!" Siku yelled at him again. "Pay atten..."

"I want her!" Iroh declared loudly.

"What?" Both of her parents blurted out, surprised.

"Her?" Siku gasped. "But, Prince Iroh…what about the other girls?"

"I don't care. Send them home. I'm going to marry this girl right here."

"Iroh!" Siku's face turned red. "You can't just...you crazy...you...ugh"

Iroh stepped towards the girl, wearing a childish smile. "Will you take me for a husband Tai Ming?" Iroh asked. Her parents looked confused, not knowing whom the Prince was speaking too.

"Yes Yun." She said back. "I mean Iroh." She giggled.

"Come inside." Iroh held out his arm. She took it and they both walked into the palace. "Well?" Iroh said to Siku. "Get rid of the other girls already."

"Who is Yun?" Siku screamed, red faced. He thought Iroh was being impulsive again.

"Don't yell at me Master. I have picked a bride. I'm just doing what you told me. Now it is time do do what _you _were told." Iroh grinned and watched his furious master obey.


	12. Courting

**Courting**

Fate had indeed blessed the young prince. After many months of secretly rendezvousing with the peasant girl who stole his heart, it turned out that she was the daughter of a noble man. And that meant that Iroh could marry her, which he planned to…but, officially, they needed to be courting each other for a while before their wedding.

So Iroh had a chance to show her the palace in which she would be living in. He would be able to court and flirt and impress her wide in the open, this time not afraid of being caught.

"So my princess…what do you think of my garden?" Iroh escorted her around the grounds, showing her each lavish inch of her future home.

"It's lovely." Meng Ha said.

"But it is not as lovely as you." Iroh winked at her.

"Well, at least I know that the _real_ you is not very different from your alter ego." Meng Ha joked about Iroh's alias that he used when he snuck out of the palace.

"I hope that is not a bad thing."

"No. I'm actually thankful. I was worried that you were going to be…much different in the presence of other rich men and women."

"Oh no. I _am_ a rich man, yes. But I went into the village to get away from all of that stress and pressure."

"Sounds a bit immature." Meng Ha smiled at Iroh.

"Well, look at what that single act of immaturity brought me. A beautiful girl who I am about to happily marry."

"I don't remember saying yes to you." Meng Ha said, smugly.

"Do you want me to get down on one knee and beg?" Iroh smiled.

"No. You've proven that you are sincere."

"Then what must I do to prove that I love you." Iroh froze. Noble men were not supposed to speak directly of love until being married for many years. But, rather then look at him rudely, Meng Ha only blushed.

"Well…" She smiled "…for starters, you can show me your secret ways of sneaking out of the palace."

Iroh looked around. The guards were slacking off again.

"This way." Iroh grabber her arm and led her to the edge of the garden. Behind one of the bushes was a little hole that no full grown man could squeeze through. But a young girl and a fit young man could fit if they tired.

"This is your big secret, huh?" Meng Ha giggled.

"Only one of them." Iroh smiled.

"Wanna leave now?" Meng Ha looked behind them to check if the guards were watching. "No one is looking."

Iroh hesitated for a moment. Then smiled and said "Let's go!"

* * *

"Prince Iroh? Lady Meng Ha? Dinner is ready for…" The guard didn't see anyone in the garden. "Prince Iroh?! Lady Meng Ha?!"

He looked around and panicked.

"What's wrong?" Siku walked out from behind him.

"Uh… Prince Iroh and Lady Meng Ha…" The guard pointed at the empty garden.

Siku's eyes widened and he yelled at the top of his lung. "You have _got_ to be kidding me!!!!"


	13. The Avatar

**The Avatar**

"Now, try it again." Siku commanded his student.

"Master, please. We've been training for hours." Iroh hunched over, dripping in his sweat.

"I thought you wanted to be the best."

"No. I want to be _MY _best. I can't do everything." Iroh stretched and he heard his back crack. He had not trained in a while, not since Meng Ha had agreed to marry him, so he was a bit stiff.

Siku sighed, disappointed. "Yeah, you're right. You may be the Fire Lord's son, but let's face it…you're no Avatar."

"No what?" Iroh looked confused.

"Avatar."

"What's an Avatar?"

Siku gasped. "You're never heard of the legend of the Avatar?" Iroh shook his head. "What do they teach you kids these days?"

"Uh, _you're_ my teacher Siku."

"Don't be a smart-ass. Do you want to know about the Avatar or not?" Iroh shut his mouth and nodded. "Well, as you know, each nation has an element that gives them great power. Although, fire remains the superior of them all. Anyway, every hundred years or so, there is one being born who can bend all four elements. That being is called the Avatar." Iroh's eyes widened. His face lit up in the same way a little boy's brightens when he hears a good bed time story."But the last Avatar was the enemy of the fire nation, and you're grandfather Sozin killed him. Since then, there has not been another Avatar. You see, it was predicted that he'd be born an Air Nomad, but they are extinct. We believe that their extinction broke the cycle of rebirth once and for all."

"So…" Iroh scratched his head. "…he could bend _all_ elements? Including fire?"

"Yes prince Iroh."

"So…then he'd be a fire bender…just like us!"

"Shh! Don't say such things out loud." Siku silenced his pupil, then gasped again. "Oh no. I realize now that…I'm sorry prince. Please, forget I have said anything."

"What? Why, what did I do?"

"Nothing. It was all my fault. They must have not wanted you to know. Please, just forget it all and go back to your training."

* * *

But the prince couldn't forget. The idea of every element in one, being completely whole, appealed to him so much that it conquered his dreams. Iroh could not believe that such a story had been kept hidden from him.

He ended up sneaking into the palace library at night to search for texts on the legendary Avatar. He learned about the air nomads, he learned about the reincarnation cycle, combining elements to make new techniques, past Avatars and much more.

His interest quickly turned into a hobby. He began to think of fire bending, the so-called "greatest art in the world", as only the tip of the iceberg that was power and life. He imagined what air would feel like if he could move it, how the earth would feel if he could cause it to shake. Eventually, his fire bending moves changed into looser, more flexible motions, like the wave of a water bender.

Iroh felt excitement as he read of the adventures of Roku and Kuruk and Yangchen. Reading wasn't enough; he wanted to _be _like them. Whole, complete, and most of all…free. Free to travel and fight and help people. This invigoration drove him to train harder, practice longer, learn most advanced techniques…

…and unfortunately Siku noticed Iroh second wind with uncomfortable suspicion. He knew water benders could fight defensively and didn't like how Iroh's new stances one day looked unusually like that of a water tribe savage.

And he knew that he had to put an end to it.

* * *

One night, Iroh snuck out of his room, hoping to read "The Cycle of The Avatar", a text from the Earth Kingdom. He had memorized where his favorite book rested on the library selves and eagerly wanted to read it again.

But when he left his room, he saw something that crushed his spirit and he felt the innocence in heart shatter.

In the garden, Siku, along with a few other fire benders, gathered around a pile of burning books. Iroh recognized the worn out covers and broken spines of each text as they were thrown into the pile. They were the very novels that he had fallen in love with, stories of the Bender of Benders. Iroh had to cover his mouth from shouting.

"Is that all of them?" Siku asked.

"All that we could find."

"Check again and then put the fire out. Notify me when you're done." Siku left them. The guards kept working. And Iroh could only watch.

* * *

"That's all. Let's get some sleep." The guards left the smoldering pile of ashes for the wind to destroy.

Iroh had waited patiently the whole time. When he was sure the coast was clear, he ran over to the destroyed pile of books. He stared at it for a while, feeling his heart ache. He had never felt such a thrill as when he heard of those epic tales. And they were real! That's what captured his imagination. The incredible stories of great heroes weren't made up…they were _real_. It made him feel like adventure was not only a possibility for some people, but for him as well.

Just as Iroh was ready to get up and leave, the wind blew and a few of the ashes danced across his feet. In the midst of the blacken dust, he saw a small bit of white poking into the fresh air. Iroh reached down and grabbed a tiny piece of paper that hadn't been burned.

"…_the Avatar grows…"_

Those three words were all that remained in the entire pile.

"This is a sign." Iroh assumed. He looked at the words, wondering what they meant, wondering what the spirits wanted to tell him.

The word 'Avatar' literally means 'being of great wisdom'. When the prince remembered that, in a great flash of enlightenment, he knew exactly what the spirits wanted him to know.

"A wise man must grow. Some who is wise must grow. Because wisdom _is_ growing, changing…adapting. The Avatar has great wisdom because he can be passionate like fire and as gentle as the wind. He can be like water, adjusting to anything, and still be like the earth, unmoving in his beliefs."

Iroh recited his new code to himself, ending with the words that gave him such inspiration.

"…and an Avatar must grow. So...I must grow."

Iroh put the piece of paper in his pocket and went back into his room. He was not sad anymore, not after fate had given him such a strong message.


	14. Ozai Watches

**Ozai Watches**

Second. That was the word that haunted Ozai. That was his title that he has to accept. Second in line for the throne, second son and second to Iroh. Since they were little, Iroh was looked upon as the first, in all things. Even though Iroh had stopped his fire bending lessons ever since his marriage to Meng Ha, Ozai was still considered lesser than him.

Ozai couldn't stand the sight of his brother, laughing with his new bride, wearing the royal crown that the he secretly desired. Ozai often gave Iroh a fake smile, but seeds of intense rage festered beneath his curved mouth.

Ozai watched his brother succeed and enjoy life, while he remained trapped by his own jealousy.

BUT…as Ozai watched, he noticed something else.

When Iroh was with his wife, he was not watching his back.

When Iroh laughed, he closed his eyes and wasn't looking at who was in front of him.

Iroh did not exercise or train or prepare like he used to.

He trusted people. He liked people, maybe even loved them.

Iroh professed messages of compassion and gentleness, but Ozai knew better. Ozai knew that Iroh was weak. And Ozai knew that all he had to do was watch and wait. Watch for Iroh's weakness…and wait for the right moment to strike.


	15. Uniting

**Uniting**

_People are not separate. They are merely…detached. Detached from what they once were._

_In every human being, there is an urge to be whole again. Something in their lives is missing, even though they cannot say what. They are seeking wholeness. And that craving for wholeness has been one of the most driving instincts mankind has had to manage._

_Some think that power will fill this void, but power tends to only want more power and thus it can never be satisfied._

_Some try to use money to become whole, but this is in itself foolish because money's purpose is to be spent and a feeling of wholeness is always temporary._

_And still, there are some who think that love should complete them. If there is anything that comes closest to making someone complete, it would be love. But still, it is not enough to completely satisfy. Love is something between two people and it can __unify them, but it is that same unifying force that causes jealous and selfishness and sometimes even hate can come from that gentle feeling that is supposed to bring people together._

_No, I cannot tell you exactly what we are all looking for. But I can say this: people are trying to reunite themselves. They are trying to be what they are supposed to be. The search is no accident. People are all trying to become whole._

_However, some optimistic people say that there is proof that two people __**can, **__in fact, become one. They say that there is a symbol…no, a miracle that comes into this world when two are so in love that their love manifests itself as a completely new life. And when that happens, when it is pure and genuine and so right…_

"Meng Ha!" Iroh gasped. His wife smiled and held her belly. "Are you sure?"

"I am." She covered her mouth and tried not to cry. "You're going to be a father."

Iroh grabbed her and spun her around, one of the first times he ever touched her in public. She laughed and kissed him. He kissed her back. They both cheered and laughed and they didn't care who saw them.

"I love you." Meng Ha said. Even though love was not supposed to be verbalized, she wanted to say it to her prince.

"I know. And I can't blame you." Iroh said, smugly. She tugged his short bread. "OW!"

"How about a little romance for once?"

"Fine. And this is the truth. Everything that I have ever been, and ever will, will be for you." He smiled and kissed her once.

…_the world will dance. It marks the beginning of a new quest for another human being.  
_


	16. Names

**Names**

Iroh put his hand over his wife's belly. It was still flat, but Iroh swore he could feel their child sleep inside her, growing a little more each day.

"This child is going to grow up so different than I did." Meng Ha said, staring up at the ceiling. "I grew up in a good home, but she'll get every luxury a girl can ever want or need."

"She?" Iroh sat up. "Hang on. There may be a boy in there." He poked her stomach gently.

"Maybe. Or maybe you'll have a little daughter."

"Maybe." Iroh smiled and kissed her gently.

"We… probably should think of names." Even though it had only been a two months, Meng Ha was over eager to name her child and she had been thinking of some names for a while.

"Oh! Yes, we should. Any ideas?"

"I have a few."

"I'm listening."

"Hau Ling"

"Oh. That's very pretty.

"It means 'flourishing'."

"Like her mother's beauty."

"Oh stop. You already got me pregnant. You don't need to seduce me anymore."

Iroh winked at her.

"I was worried you wouldn't like that name. I had another one I think _you'd_ like more though. Xiao Li."

"That's not as pretty, but it's still good."

"It means 'morning jasmine'."

"Like the tea!" Iroh's ears perked up.

"Like the tea."

"I take it back. That may be the most beautiful name I have ever heard." Iroh said with a thirsty smile, but calmed himself down knowing that it was too late for a cup. "But what if it's a boy? What will we name him?"

"I…actually haven't thought of any." Meng Ha grinned. "Maybe you should decide."

Iroh scratched his beard, which was almost fully grown.

"Ba Fu?" He said.

"Ba Fu?" His wife looked at him like he was crazy.

"Not good?"

"A name...has to have some meaning in it. It has to be special." Iroh looked confused. "When I thought of those other names, I was thinking about important things in this child's life. I chose Hau Ling because this child will have so many opportunities as she grows. And I chose Xiao Li because it reminds me of you."

Iroh felt his heart flutter.

"So…" Meng Ha continued "…tell me something that means something special to you, and _I'll_ give _you_ a name."

Iroh scratched his beard again. He searched his mind for something that was not only special to him, but something that his child could appreciate as well.

Suddenly, he was transported back to his early teen years, when he would spend hours dreaming, traveling the world in his thoughts. He loved Meng Ha and their soon-to-be child, but he still hadn't seen the oceans or seas that had called so loudly to him when he was younger. He thought of waves he never sailed, roads he never travels, lands never explored…and immediately wished for his son to see those things in his place.

"I want our boy to see great sights." Iroh said. "I want him to see the world, to be a man of the world. Travel and go on adventures like a young man should."

"Sounds like you." Meng Ha said.

"Know any good names for that kind of person?" Iroh asked.

"Mmmm…how about Lu Ten?" Meng Ha said.

"Lu Ten?"

"It mean _'a road to gallop on'_. A perfect for an adventurer."

"Mmm. I like it."

"So if it's a girl, she'll be named Hau Ling…"

"A-hem!" Iroh interrupted.

"I mean Xiao Li, for the tea."

"Thank you." Iroh smiled.

"And if it's a boy, he'll be Lu Ten."


	17. Inheritied Curse

HEY! I won an award!** Tales of the Dragon of the West **won Funniest Fiction Award. Check out Emiko Ishida. The other nominees (haha) are also listed there.

* * *

**Inherited Curse**

"…what?" Shin Hung's jaw dropped. Shin Hung was Meng Ha's father. He was the man who gave his daughter away to Iroh and was proud that his first born was married to such a wonderful man. But the couple had just given him horrible news that made the respected merchant regret the marriage entirely.

"We're having a baby." His daughter repeated, smiling. "Isn't that wonderful father?"

"Meng Ha…I thought that you two were not going to try to conceive a child for…another few years."

"Well…" Meng Ha continued. "…I know what we said, but the spirits had their own plans I guess. This isn't something that can be completely controlled father."

Shin Hung expression was more than just shocked. He looked scared.

"Is something wrong? Meng Ha asked. Shin Hung rubbed his forehead and exhaled heavily. "Dad? Are you alright?"

Shin Hung put his hands over his mouth and looked at the young prince. He was not mad at him, at either of them, but he wished that it did not happen.

"Meng Ha…there is something that I did not tell you…that I should have told you long ago."

"What is it?" Meng Ha asked.

"Should I leave you two alone?" Iroh suggested.

"No, my lord. You should hear this as well." Shin Hung sat up straight and paused before speaking again. "Prince Iroh…I have had two wives in my life. The first one, Meng Ha's mother, was a young woman whom I grew up with. She was an orphan that was adopted by a family of apothecaries, who was lucky enough to rise into the upper circle of this city. I loved her deeply." Shin Hung paused, lost in his memorize for a moment. "We were married at a young age and she became pregnant with Meng Ha very quickly. But…she…she did not survive the child birthing process. In fact, the reason my first wife was an orphan was because her own mother had died giving birth to her."

Iroh and Meng Ha looked at each other, worried.

"You see, my prince, I wanted you two to avoid having a child so that I could explain this story in greater depth. I wanted you two to wait because…there is a real chance that Meng Ha has also inherited this curse as well."

Iroh grabbed his wife's hand and Meng Ha gasped.

"Are you saying that…" Iroh gulped.

"I _am_ happy for you. I really am. But…this child is not very good news, my prince." Shin Hung sighed. "My lord, we may both loose the most important girl in our lives."


	18. A Piece of Her

**A Piece of Her**

Iroh paced back and forth, sweat creeping down his brow. He didn't know what to do. For the first time in a long while, he felt completely helpless.

The doctors tried everything, but nothing could be done. Shin Hung had warned him that "it" could happen.

Iroh stroked his bread and tapped his foot. He felt an incredible pressure build up in the back of his head. The stress felt like guilt, telling himself that Meng Ha's suffering was all his fault.

He heard Meng Ha scream again, even louder than before. Iroh felt his heart break and his muscles weaken. His eyes swelled up and his head began to hurt.

She screamed again. He heard the doctors try to calm her down, chanting words of motivation in vain to her.

Iroh told himself not to cry.

Then he heard something worse than Meng Ha's _loud_ screams. He heard her scream softly. She was growing weaker; her energy was fading. Iroh felt the cold hand of death crawl past him.

He could wait anymore! He ran towards the birthing room, but was stopped by one of the midwives who were attending to her.

"Let me in!" Iroh asked politely, but he was demanding.

"I'm sorry Prince Iroh, but men are not permitted to enter…"

"I AM YOUR PRINCE!" Iroh yelled. Smoke puffed out of his nose and water dripped out of his eyes. "And you WILL let pass!"

Startled, the midwife let the prince go. Iroh ran to his wife as fast as he could.

* * *

Meng Ha lay on a yellow bed with two other women standing over her. Iroh only got a second glimpse of them before he heard a beautiful sound, different than before yet very similar. He heard the sound of his child crying for the first time. Ignoring the baby, Iroh ran to Meng Ha's side and held her arm.

"Meng Ha!" Iroh whimpered.

Meng Ha slowly rolled her head over and looked at Iroh.

"My…Yun." Meng Ha said and squeezed his hand gently, calling Iroh by his old name. She was pale and cold. The dancing light in her eyes was beginning to fade, but she still had enough strength to smile at her husband.

"Tai Ming…" Iroh began to gasp. "…my wife...you are alright. You will be fine." Iroh put both of his hands over hers.

Meng Ha reached for his face and stroked his beard gently. Iroh couldn't control the tears as they poured over his whiskers.

"Promise that…" Meng Ha gasped. She was having trouble breathing. "…you will always watch…our child." She pointed to the baby, who had stopped crying already.

"Your highness." One of the midwives approached them. "Your wife told us to tell you the sex of the baby immediately after it was born. It's a boy."

"A boy!" Iroh gasped, still crying hysterically.

"You…have a son to raise…my prince." Meng Ha stroked his face again.

"And you are going to raise him with me. You're going to be a great mother." Iroh squeezed her hand tighter. Iroh felt her heartbeat in her palm slow down.

"I want him …" The brightness in Meng Ha's eyes sparkled away and Iroh felt her last breath leave her body. "…to be just like you."

The room went silent. Iroh felt her hand go limp and her pulse stop.

The prince froze. Time stopped moving for a moment. In one second, everything he ever wanted had vanished.

But out of the ashes of tragedy, he felt something extraordinary. Still holding her hand, he felt her life energy pass out of her body. And where there was once movement and chaos and pain, there was now only peace. It was the Way, Chi, energy, peace, everything he had ever studied. It was the most incredible feeling Iroh had ever felt in his life, but no one was there to share it with him.

A second or two passed. Iroh's hesitant crying turned into painful mourning. He collapsed onto his wife and began to scream into her neck. He rocked her in his arms. Feeling Iroh's incredible devotion, the midwives began to cry as well.

Iroh's wife, Meng Ha, died before seeing the face of her son.

* * *

Word traveled fast over the palace grounds. Fire Lord Azulon bowed his head and mourned his daughter-in-law's passing for a few moments when he heard. Then he returned to his work.

Siku cried a little, but shook the pain off quickly and resumed his training.

Ozai smiled when he heard the news. And with his grin, he uttered "…good."

* * *

Days passed. Iroh refused to leave his chambers. He spent his hours laying in the bed that Meng Ha and he had spent so many nights in, where they had dreamed of what their child would look like, what their next child would be named, how they would look when they were elderly.

Iroh was lost in his depression for almost a week before and did not leave his room until the eighth day. With his wife gone, the world was duller and colder. All of the palace guards and servants looked at him with worried eyes. No one spoke to him.

Iroh staggered mindlessly around the garden, remembering how they courted each other and flirted after reuniting. He laughed without feeling any joy when he remembered how they crept out of the castle grounds together the first day they were engaged.

His happiness was gone. He was sure that he would never be the same.

Then Iroh heard a baby crying from the highest tower in the palace. Though faint, the sound would not stop. Not knowing what else to do, he dragged himself up the steps of the living towers, just to distract himself from his suffering.

He heard his son crying from behind the door of the high tower. Opening the door very slowly, he saw several servants in front of the child's crib, shaking toys and making silly faces, desperately trying to quite the infant down. The little guy was whining frantically, as if he was mourning for his mother too.

Iroh sniffed, coughed, clearing his throat, and approached his son. The baby kept his eyes closed and kicked his legs gently.

Iroh took the baby from the servant girls. He held his boy and immediately the child stopped crying.

Then Iroh felt it again. He felt the same enlightened peace that ran through Meng Ha's body as she died. The boy was chaotic and confused and scared a moment ago, but now a vessel of peace existed between Iroh's fingers. The boy was calm and warm. Iroh felt its life energy flow through him, back from son to father.

He held the baby in the air. The infant opened his eyes and Iroh gasped. The boy had the same bright copper eyes as himself. He thought that he was staring at a past life. He saw himself and Meng Ha in one beautiful creature. The child was helpless…scared…weak… like Iroh had felt for the past seven days.

"My lord?" One of the servant girls spoke up, amazed that a man had touched an infant. "May we have the baby back?"

"This is my son." Iroh said, cuddling with the boy again.

"Yes sir, but it is customary for women to raise children. And you will be so busy…"

"I will raise him myself. He is my blood and my responsibility! I will not have anyone else teach this boy other than me, Master Siku or someone else whom I approved."

"But my lord…"

"And that is final!" Iroh stamped his foot and his son moaned. Iroh kissed his forehead and the boy became quite again.

"But my lord…" The servant girl was already on the ground, bowing deeply. "…the infant doesn't even have a name yet."

Iroh looked down at his son again and thought of his wife.

"The boy's name is Lu Ten." Iroh proclaimed. He swore he saw his son smile. Or perhaps, Iroh thought, it was a piece of Meng Ha that he had seen smile through the boy, expressing her love for Iroh even after death.


	19. Job Offer

**Job Offer**

"No, I don't think so." Iroh respectfully declined.

"What? But my lord, this is an amazing opportunity." The Colonel was completely shocked that anyone would turn down an offer to be the General of the Fire Nation Army.

"You need to understand, my good sir." Iroh put down his cup of tea. "I have a son that I need to watch over. I have to make sure that he grows up with his father. I would be a bad general if I took my boy with me…and I would be a bad father if I forgot about my son."

"Then why not leave him with a woman and have her raise the boy? That's what they are here for anyway!"

"Watch what you say in my presence. Do not tell me how to raise my son." Iroh threatened the brash man.

"Forgive me, my lord." The Colonel bowed deeply. "Please, allow me to restate some of the benefits of this job. You would not be leaving the palace. You would be able to give the army important strategies for future battles…battles far away. And you will have many advisers to help you. There will most likely never be a need for you to leave the safety of your home and you will still make a great contribution to the Fire Nation."

Iroh rubbed his beard, rethinking the proposal.

The Colonel stood up. "I was told to give you a day to think about it. I will return to see you tomorrow at the same time." He bowed deeply, and Iroh bowed back. Then the solider left without saying another word.

* * *

Iroh sat down next to his son's bed. It had been years since he had slept in a crib. The boy had grown so much and was starting to become more self-reliant. Iroh loved every second he spent with his son, but at the same time he wondered if Lu Ten needed more space.

The offer _was_ incredible. And Iroh knew that if they had asked him to be a General before Lu Ten was born, he would have accepted the offer without a second thought.

"Hmm…" He looked at his boy, who was fast asleep. "…you are causing me more problems then you know Lu Ten." Iroh joked, even though he knew his son couldn't hear him.

Iroh clasped his hands together nervously, with concern for his son's future. And his own.

* * *

The next day, at noon… _KNOCK-KNOCK_.

"You may enter!" Iroh said. The Colonel from the day before had returned to hear Iroh's answer.

"Good day my lord." He bowed

"Good day, Colonel." Iroh didn't look at him. Iroh put a writing brush down and grabbed a piece of string from the table in front of him.

"Do you have an answer to our offer?" The Colonel was anxious to leave.

Iroh stood up and held a freshly written scroll to the solider.

"Yes. I will accept. But only if the conditions on this scroll are fulfilled. Give it to you commander and if he denies any single one, you can tell him that I will not be a part of your army."

"Yes sir." The Colonel bowed and left the room. Iroh smiled. That scroll was the answer to all of his concerns for Lu Ten.

* * *

On the way to the Gun-Ha base at the eastern tip of the Fire Nation, the Colonel could not help but look at the contents of the scroll. He slowed his Ostrich-Horse down and unrolled the scroll, eager to see what was so important.

He carefully read each word, but it only made him more confused.

_My son, Lu Ten, shall never be drafted or forced to enter the Fire Nation army. __UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES shall this first request be ignored, even after I die._

_Should I ever participate in any combat, and die in the process, Lu Ten shall not inherit my title as General._

_Should I travel, on the date of my death, Lu Ten will inherit all of my possessions that I have earned along my journey._

"What?" The Colonel was extremely puzzled. He re-rolled the scroll and continued riding towards his base. _"I heard that Iroh was a little strange…"_ he thought to himself _"…but I didn't think he was that strange."_


	20. Unfair Union

**This is why Ozai hates Zuko**

* * *

**Unfair Union**

"Come now son. There is nothing to be afraid of." Iroh held Lu Ten's hand and slowly walked him across the banquet hall. The little boy walked very close to his father's leg. Everyone looked at Lu Ten with a smile and made the occasional "Aw" sound, but the little boy's shyness stayed.

Lu Ten had turned five a few days ago, but the palace was celebrating something else. Noblemen and women from all over the fire nation gathered to see the union of Master Ozai and Lady Ursa. Ursa, a noble woman from Cho, the most northern region in the fire nation, was scheduled to be married to Ozai within the week.

Iroh wanted to be there when his brother "tied the ball-and-chain to his leg", as well as to give the customary blessings to the newly weds them.

Everyone was happy that the second Fire Prince was getting married. The night was filled with laughter and drinks and lots and lots of food. Iroh showed off his little boy to all of the young women, making them giggle and blush.

Yet Ozai and his soon-to-be bride were not smiling. They did not speak for most of the night.

"Why are they so quiet?" Iroh asked to Siku, his former fire bending master, who still took residence behind the palace walls even though his age was catching up with him.

"Oh, they are probably just trying to act proper. That is a talent where your brother has always surpassed you."

"Oh please. They don't even look like they are enjoying themselves."

"Hmm." Siku drank from his glass. "So…I hear that you have accepted a job in our military."

"Oh! Yes, but I will be remaining at home …so that I may keep closer watch over Lu Ten." Iroh patted his boy on his head, who was still keeping quiet.

"You really should let one of the castle women take care of him. People are starting to say things about you, my Prince."

"Let them say whatever they want. I am their prince, and if they are so cowardly as to say such things about their future king behind my back…then I say that they are not worth listening to."

"Well, perhaps you better tell that to your brother."

"Ozai?"

"Yes. They are saying some things about him as well. They say that he will _not_ be naming you his best man for his wedding."

"What?" Iroh was shocked. For hundred of years, siblings would stand at the altar with each other, so that the spirits would approve of the two families become one. Denying Iroh the honor of best man was nothing short of an insult.

"Could you watch Lu Ten for me, Siku?" Iroh asked.

"Of course." Siku took Lu Ten's hand. The little boy began to moan as his father walked away from him but calmed down when Siku made a funny face.

* * *

Ozai left the banquet hall (and his wife) when he saw Iroh coming towards him. He wanted to get away from all of the pressure and noise. He stood over the palace balcony, staring at the rising moon. His life was about to change and he didn't like it. He knew he didn't have a choice and he understood that these where the ways things were. Still…he cursed the traditions and cursed himself…knowing that it was his fault.

"Ozai!" Iroh interrupted his brother's thoughts.

"What do you want?" Ozai bark towards his brother, as spiteful towards as ever.

"I just heard that I will _not_ be attending your wedding."

"Of course you are…" Ozai smiled, then quickly scowled again. "…as a spectator in audience. I will not have you stand next to me as I am married."

"Ozai! How dare you say such things to me. I know we have many differences, but we are still brothers. I have a right to watch over you during this time in your life!"

"Iroh…" Ozai clenched his fist. "…you could not possibly understand what I am going through. So mind your own business…for once!"

"I was married too! I _do _know what it is like to…"

"NO!" Ozai yelled and huffed out a cloud of smoke. "Iroh, you were willingly married to a beautiful women whom you loved. I am forced to marry Ursa…for more than one reason."

"Ozai, you had plenty of young girls to choose from. You could have picked any of them. _You_ chose Ursa. You are more than welcome to back out now. You _are _the son of the fire lord. We can pull as many strings as we need."

"I cannot." Ozai's fists loosened, his rage turning into sadness.

"Why? Why can you not?"

"Because Iroh…Ursa…" Ozai looked away from him. "…because Ursa is pregnant."

Iroh paused for a minute. Ozai's claim didn't registrar at first. "What!"

"I have to marry her. All because of that little brat growing inside her!" Ozai slammed his fist on the wall.

"Ozai! How…how could you let this happen? You know there are laws for a reason!"

"Laws? We are royalty! We should have nothing holding us back. We make the laws! We _ARE _the law! Those rules are nothing more than barriers to hold us back!"

"The rules…they are there to ensure that order is maintained. And no one is above the law! Especially royalty!"

"I knew that you would not understand! How could you? You've always had everything handed to you as if you were the only son in this family! I've been the one who has always suffered for your mistakes and looked down upon after your successes! You're right. The laws are not holding me back. You are!"

"You are blaming me for this too? All you've ever done since we were little is place blame on me for your own problems, never owning up to anything that you are responsible for! Even now, as you are about to become a husband, you only act like a child!"

"Ger away from me!" Ozai ordered Iroh with a threatening voice. "There is a reason I didn't want you to be my best man! And there is a reason I don't want to speak with you now!"

"Fine little brother!" Iroh turned around and left Ozai alone.

Ozai slammed his fist into the wall, screaming in anguish, burning off the paint. Iroh heard him shout but ignored him, giving up on his younger brother for the first time.

The two princes didn't talk to each other for months.


	21. Uncle

**Uncle**

"Excuse me…Master Ozai?"

"Leave me alone!" Ozai yelled at his servant. He sat at his desk with his back to the door.

"I'm sorry Master Ozai, but Prince Iroh is here to see you."

Ozai grunted, knowing that he could not deny his brother entrance. "Send him in." He said.

Iroh walked inside and Ozai wished that he would leave already. Iroh wore the general's outfit. He had gotten used to wearing it, even when he was at home with Lu Ten.

"Hello Ozai." Iroh bowed. Ozai didn't even turn around.

"What do you want?" He grunted again.

"I came over here as soon as I heard. I thought that I should be here."

"This is none of your business!" Ozai yelled.

"Ozai, please. In only a few hours…maybe in a few minutes, I will become an uncle and you will become a father. Such a matter _is_ my business! Just listen to me! For once!"

Ozai didn't say anything.

"Brother…I know we have our difference, but there is no damage done that cannot be fixed. We are family…we have an unbreakable bond that will always tie us together."

Ozai had yet to make eye contact with Iroh.

"A new life is about to enter the world. And a new generation brings me hope. Hope that we will not repeat the same mistakes twice. Ozai, I beg of you…Ozai, please look at me!"

Ozai twisted his head and his steely eyes clashed with Iroh's gentle gaze.

"…Ozai…let's end this bitter rivalry. Let's start a new. I want to make sure that this new child will have a complete life and have a family to support him."

Iroh stepped forward and held out his hand.

"Let's end this foolishness."

Ozai looked at the ground and thought about Iroh's offer. He hated his older brother…and he was getting tired of constantly dreaming of foiling Iroh. His attempts to embarrass and shame Iroh never worked anyway.

What Ozai needed was time, time to think of a truly horrible plan. In order to properly think of one, he needed to get his brother off his back. And what better way to let Iroh's guard down then to pretend that they were friends.

Ozai looked up at Iroh. He smiled and grabbed his hand. Iroh laughed, relieved that their fighting days were over.

"It's good to see you smile again brother." Iroh said.

"Thank you Iroh." Ozai smiled wider and hugged his brother. Iroh hesitated to hug him back, but did.

KNOCK-KNOCK

"Yes, come in!" Ozai yelled.

"Master Ozai…" A midwife entered the room and bowed. "…Ursa's child labor has ended. You have a son, Master."

"A son…" Ozai's fists clenched in rage. "I have a son." He pretended to be proud.

Iroh slapped him on his shoulder.

"Come then! Let's go meet the future solider." Iroh led Ozai out of his room. "I'm glad that we are not going to be having those silly fights anymore, brother."

"Me too Iroh." Ozai crossed his fingers. "Me too."


	22. Nephew

**Nephew**

"Oh, isn't he handsome." Iroh said to his sister-in-law. Ursa, still sweaty from labor, held the innocent baby in her hand, proud of herself and of the little angel she now held.

The boy was not as tranquil as everyone else. Even though the people around him were at peace, the child cried loudly. The boy refused to stop whining, even though everyone around him was happy. And no matter what the nurses did, the boy would not stop complaining.

"Look! He has your eyes brother." Iroh pointed to Ozai. Ozai pretended to be interested, but he truly despised the little boy. And the infant's high pitched moaning was not helping.

"Thank you for being here Iroh." Ursa smiled at the prince.

"My pleasure." Iroh smiled back. "Have you though of any names yet?"

Ursa looked at Ozai, who glared back. Her eyes lowered. Ozai sacred her and made her feel bad about herself. Even with her maternal instincts already kicking in, she too wished that she hadn't had the boy under such circumstances.

"Ozai was supposed to name the baby." Ursa looked away from her husband.

"Oh good! You can name him Iroh!" The prince smiled. Ozai tried to grin, but failed. "...seriously…a name should have a something special to it. It should have a meaning. Lu Ten means 'a road to gallop on'. I wanted my boy to have the same love for the world as I do, so I gave him a travelers name. Your son should have a name that will say something about how you feel about him."

"Zuko." Ozai said.

"What?"

"His name will be Zuko." Ozai looked at his son with steely eyes.

"Zuko…Zuko…did you just make that up? I don't think there is any meaning to that name."

"…exactly." Ozai whispered. And his son kept crying.


	23. The Beach

**The Beach**

Iroh ran through the thick grass, his son close in behind him. Lu Ten pushed his palms forward, imitating a fire bending move.

"I got you, dad!" He yelled.

"Urgh!" Iroh pretended to get hit by the invisible fire ball, spun and fell to the ground. Lu Ten jumped on top of him and they both started laughing. "Okay, okay! You got me. Now get off before I break my back!"

Lu Ten jumped onto his feet and waited for his dad to regain his stamina. The family (Iroh, Lu Ten, Ozai, Ursa and their new born Zuko) had come to Ember Island for a week, eager to relax. Lu Ten, who was usually quiet and shy, gained a suddenly burst of confidence upon reaching their vacation home. It seemed that Lu Ten had inherited Iroh's love of the sea.

"This place is great!" Lu Ten said. The boy looked out at the ocean and breathed in the salty air.

"Yes…yes it is." Iroh looked at endless water, still in love with it after so long.

"Can we come back here every year?" Lu Ten asked, already worried about leaving.

"I wish we could son. I cannot promise _every _year, but I promise that I we will try to come back as often as possible." Iroh smiled at him. Lu Ten frowned, even though he knew his father was being fair. "Son, do not feel bad. Be happy! We're on vacation!"

"Yeah, okay dad." Lu Ten's happiness returned immediately. "Race you back to the house?"

"Let's not and just say you won." Iroh struggled to get up, but eventually managed. He wasn't as energetic as he used to be. Too much tea and cookies had made his belly soft.

He walked his son back to the summer house Ozai owned. As they traveled, Iroh's eyes didn't look away from the ocean. The wind, the saltwater smell, the gulls laughing…everything about it still enchanted him.

And now his son was experiencing the same joy. Iroh could not have been happier.


	24. Family Vacation

**Family Vacation**

"Come on in! The water is great!" Lu Ten shouted out to the infant, actually expecting his baby cousin to jump out of his mother's arms and go swimming with him.

"Lu Ten, Zuko is too young. He can't swim. He can't even walk." Ursa said to her nephew.

"Fine. Then I'll come over there and play with him." Lu Ten ran out of the water and plopped down next to his aunt.

"I don't think Zuko is old enough to play any of your games." Ursa held her baby closer to her.

"That's right Lu Ten." Iroh had appeared out of nowhere. He put his hand on his sister-in-law's shoulder and smiled. "Forgive my son's over eagerness Ursa. Lu Ten is just excited that he now has a cousin. He only wants to spend time with him."

Ursa looked down at Zuko, who was staring back at Iroh blankly with the empty expression that babies like to show.

"I know!" Iroh said. "I'll take Zuko for a little while and play with Lu Ten. You can go relax and take a load off your feet."

"Iroh…I don't…"

"Come now. You've earned a little vacation time to yourself." Iroh smiled wider.

"Yeah Auntie!" Lu Ten hugged Ursa's leg. "Pleeeeeeease!" He begged.

"Well, alright." She slowly handed Iroh her son. "But only for an hour."

"One hour! And then he will be back in your arms." Iroh promised her. Ursa was still nervous, but let her baby go and left, heading to their summer home to see her husband.

"So, little Zuko…Do you like sandcastles?" Iroh tickled his nephew and Zuko laughed. "You do! Well, then that's what we will build until your mother comes back."

Iroh sat down and quickly lifted Zuko in the air. The baby laughed and kicked as the middle-aged man laughed with him.

* * *

Back at the house, Ozai had found a productive way to pass the time. Sitting on a stool in the main room, he kept himself busy by carefully reading a map of the Earth Kingdom. Something in the back of his mind told him that he may need the knowledge someday.

His studies were interrupted when he heard the front door open and close.

"Who is there?" He shouted.

"It's…me, Ozai." Ursa said, timidly.

"What? Is the brat ready to take a nap?" Ozai didn't even look at his wife when she approached him.

"No. He's down by the beach with his uncle and cousin."

Ozai dropped his map and began yelling. "WHAT! You left my son with that stupid fool!"

"It…is not…" Ursa shuttered in fear.

"Can't you do anything right? I told you…never let our son be alone with him!"

"He's…only there for…" Ursa gulped, and Ozai calmed down a little.

"Look...crown or no crown, I don't want that so-called prince alone with any of my children, even if it is that worthless son Zuko! Now go get him before Iroh poisons him with some of his 'let's-get-along' philosophy nonsense!"

"But…Zuko is too young to remember anything if he…"

Without warning, Ozai grabbed the stool and threw it across the room. The wood erupted into splitters and its impact sent a crashing sound through house. Ursa flinched and began to shake.

"I did not ask you. I told you!" Ozai huffed smoke. "Don't forget who is the husband, the son of the fire lord."

Helpless, Ursa ran outside to fetch her son. Ozai picked up the scroll and engulfed it in flames, enraged, spiteful of Iroh's power over people. If Zuko had heard something…anything from Iroh's point of view, there was no telling what would happen to Ozai's bloodline.

"He even tries to take my children away from me." Ozai said to himself, his fists clenched with jealousy.

* * *

"Up we go!" Iroh yelled and tossed Zuko into the air. The boy laughed hysterically as he flew over Lu Ten's sandcastle. "You certainly laugh more than your father." Iroh joked, even though it was true.

Suddenly, Ursa ran over to Iroh and ripped Zuko out of his hands.

"I'm sorry…" Ursa covered her face, not letting her prince see her tears. "…I…have to go."

And she ran away without explaining anything.

"What happened dad?" Lu Ten was curious. Iroh looked up at the house on the mountain and his eyes narrowed. He knew exactly what happened.

"Oh, it's probably nothing. Little Zuko probably just needs a nap. You know how babies are." Iroh put on a smiling face for his son. His boy didn't need to hear the truth…not yet.


	25. Dragons I

3-part Mini-series

* * *

**Dragons - I**

"Very impressive." Iroh said to the Admiral, even though he was outraged.

"Isn't it sir?" Admiral Jong Jong held his hand over the new platoon. The 101st was an experiment organized by Fire Lord Azulon himself. Seasoned soldiers from the army went to every town and city in the Fire Nation and combed the streets for homeless children and orphans. They promised children a better life if they willingly joined the Fire Nation army. And after only six short weeks, over 100 children had joined. They all learned bending, lethal moves and military tactics, slowly being molded into true soldiers. They would live in the military and become great warriors.

Iroh pretended to be impressed because even he, the prince and the general of the nation, could not disband the platoon, not when his father had ordered its formation.

"You'd be surprised how…eager they are." Jong Jong continued. "They are energetic, willing to learn…"

"And you don't see anything morally wrong with teaching children how to kill another human being?" Iroh interrupted. The Admiral was temporarily speechless, not expecting his general to have something bad to say about his proud troop.

"Sir…it…the Fire Lord has commanded me to train these boys to fight."

"Yes, yes. That's very good. But what do _you _think about this situation? How do you feel about this?" Iroh asked, even though he knew the brainwashed Admiral wouldn't answer truthfully.

"Well…you'd be surprised at how some are perfect soldiers." Jong Jong changed the subject. He grabbed a handful of papers and quickly looked through them. "For example, there is…uh…ah! Here he is. The boy's name is Zhao, I think. He shows a lot of promise for military service. And has expressed desire to enlist in the navy."

"And I suppose as soon as the Fire Lord creates a children's army there, Zhao will be headed to the seas. Am I correct?" Iroh asked. Admiral Jong Jong was stunned that Iroh would say such things.

Without warning, a lowly private came barging into their office, panting.

"Forgive me sirs." He bowed on his knees, clutching a scroll in his hands.

"What is so important that you dare enter into our presence unannounced?" Admiral Jong Jong shouted.

"I'm sorry sir. But something incredible has happened." The private held the scroll out to Iroh.

Hesitant, Iroh took the scroll and slowly opened it. He read carefully. Then his eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"I…I can't believe it!" Iroh exclaimed.

"What is it, sir?" Admiral Jong Jong asked.

"In…the Western lands…two dragons have been spotted!"

"What?" Admiral Jong Jong nearly yelled. It had been over a decade since anyone had even seen a dragon. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. It says that there are in the ruins of the Sun Warriors and…they want me to go and…" Iroh felt a lump in his throat. "…and slay them."

"Sir! What an honor. You must be so excited." The corporal and the private saluted him.

Iroh stared at the scroll, conflicted. He had never seen a dragon before, only read about them and heard stories. Many accounts described dragons as monstrous abominations of untold power. They had the ability to wipe out entire cities overnight and had more fire bending power than a hundred men.

But a few accounts described them differently. Some claim that dragons were heavenly beings that were as majestic as they were mighty, whose fire could not only take life…but give it back as well. They were supposed to worshiped, not feared.

Iroh spaced out, thinking of what the two creatures would look like. He suddenly felt a familiar tugging at his heart. It was the same sensation he felt when the ocean called his name, when Lu Ten played adventure games with his friends. Once again, Iroh felt the desire to see something mysterious, something that most people would never see.

"Sir?" The private interrupted Iroh thoughts. "Will you go?"

Iroh looked at the scroll and closed it. "I'm in." He said. "Others are coming?"

"Yes Sir."

"I will meet with them tomorrow morning."

"Very good sir." The private saluted and then left.

"My lord, you must be so excited." Admiral Jong Jong sung his praises.

"I am." Iroh said, just imagining what the animals would look like.

"If you slay them, then you will take their title! You will be even more renowned than you are now." Jong Jong envied Iroh, but his comment gave Iroh a cold slap back to reality.

Iroh just wanted to see the dragons. He was so excited that he would get his wish that he forgot that he was going to destroy them.

"…yes…" Iroh responded to the corporal with a faint voice. "…even more power…"

In recent weeks, Iroh had begun to regret his decision to become a general. Because, as it is said, _power tends to only want more power_. When he was young, Iroh wanted to be a great fire bender. He got what he wanted. Then he wanted to be a general. He got that as well. In his youth, he wanted to be Fire Lord more than anything, and that prize would eventually be his as well.

However, with Iroh's fire bending came violence. With his job as a general came the 101st and the pressure and reputation of being a warmonger. And if he became Fire Lord, he become the destroyer of hundreds and thousands of lives.

Now seeing such magnificent beast as a dragon would have its price as well. Getting what he wanted now meant that Iroh would have to kill them. He knew that he was doing things he did want to do and it sickened him.

In the moment that Iroh realized how disgusted he was at his new life, he realized two other things.

Firstly, his guilt did not come from his father or the army or the war. It was because of him. Everything that made him feel guilty, feel ashamed or weak was because of his own weakness. He was walking the path of the violent leader because he chose to walk it.

And second, the only person who could steer him off the path he was on was also himself…and only himself. No one else could save Iroh except Iroh…and no one else could save the dragons except the one who was assigned the task to slay them.

Iroh thought of the magnificent dragons far away…and began to think of a way to save them.


	26. Dragons II

**Sorry for the late post. / Busy week.**

* * *

**Dragons – II**

It had been a week since the group had left home. Each traveled on a Rhino with plenty of weapons, armor, maps and food stuffed inside of their bags.

There were six of them, all traveling west, eager to slay the last two dragons the Fire Nation would ever see.

There was Captain Mongke. A man who excelled in warfare, firebending, strategy and sense of direction, his Rhino marched in front of the party, leading the group west. He was an ambitious man who served the Fire Nation Army greatly and desired adventure as much as he desired violence.

Vachir was an archer whose arrows were said to be made of some mysterious rock found only in the Water Tribes. Spirits know how he managed to get his hands on such precious blue stones, or if they were even really made of the rock, but everyone who met him knew that his accuracy was deadly. He also liked lighting regular arrows on fire.

Kaichi was a powerful man with a mighty beard. His Guan Dao was sharp enough to cut through any stone and his suit of armor was so heavy that it took two other men to put it on.

He secretly wanted to take the scales from the dragons and make armor and weapons that were truly unbeatable.

Ogodei was limber, fast and in remarkable shape. He was one of the best hunter's the Fire Nation had to offer. He gained renown when a group of people saw him kill a Platypus-Bear with nothing but his hands. Of course, he did not plan on killing the dragons with just his fingers, so he brought along his favorite weapon: steel chains with sharp hooks on the ends.

Yeh-Lu said nothing and looked at no one. His face was covered by a red and black mask. He carried with him powerful explosives and a calm temperament. He did not socialize well, merely obeyed his captain's orders and got his money. He was the kind of person you wanted on your side.

And of course, there was the leader of the group. The great general of the Fire Nation, the heir to the throne of the most powerful empire to ever exist…

"Are we there yet?" Iroh yelled.

"For the last time, no!" Mongke shouted. "We get there when we get there!" And he went back to his maps.

"I'm so hungry. Why do these dragons have to live so far away?" The prince complained.

"We are lucky there do." Ogodei said. "It's a good thing these monsters don't live near any villages. Think of how many innocent people those things could kill."

"So, we will be saving those people if we kill them then? And then we'll be real heroes!" Vachir asked.

"Uh…yeah. I guess so."

"I hope that they will feed us out of gratitude when we save them." Iroh moaned again.

None of the fighters had the nerve to say anything rude to their prince, but they all were getting sick of his complaining. They all thought that he was a big baby and was only slowing them down. They underestimated him, which is exactly what Iroh wanted.

They traveled over miles rocky desert, searching for the Ruins of the Sun Warrior. The Ruins were famed for their mysterious stone buildings, but were also known to be haunted. No one went there; it was the perfect place for a dragon to hide.

As the group came to a canyon with high orange walls, the sun was blocked out by the high plateaus.

"We're getting close." Mongke said. "It should only be another hour away."

"Oh, thank the spirits." Iroh sighed.

"So, what are you going to buy with you reward money?" Kaichi asked everyone.

"Money? I want the fame." Vachir said. "I have been trying to get into the Yu-Yan archers for years. I want that dream to come true after this."

"Ha. This is just one more challenge." Ogodei smiled. "I am gonna keep hunting, keep fighting. Maybe go to Ba Sing Se and fight in the war."

"Well, you'll never be able to join the army is we never get there." Iroh kicked his Rhino, and it charged towards the front of the group. The beast ran in front of Mongke, causing Mongke's Rhino to stop abruptly.

"What is your problem?" The angry Captain asked.

"I just wanted to see the map. I'm not sure that you are going in the right direction." Iroh said.

"What are you talking about? That is my job, to know our nation inside and out. Of course we are going in the right direction."

"Well, then may I please see the map." Iroh asked.

"Tch. Fine." Mongke handed his prince the map, obeying. Iroh examined it carefully. They were very close to the Ruins.

"So…we are in the Sun Stone Canyon, correct?" Iroh asked, playing dumb.

"Yes." Mongke was getting fed up with the prince's foolishness.

"And that…" Iroh pointed behind them to a big rock in the middle of the valley. "…is the half way point, yes?"

Everyone turned around, including Mongke, to look at the rock Iroh was pointing too. While they were looking, Iroh took a tiny brush out from his sleeve and drew an extra line on the map, leading them away from the location of the dragons. He was very careful, knowing that Mongke would notice any sudden changes.

"Yes, that's the half-way point." Mongke replied, not suspecting anything.

"Good. Then we will be there very shortly." Iroh threw the map back to him.

"I know! I said that we would…argh. Forget it. Let's just get going."

* * *

They reached the ruins in even less than an hour. The empty pyramids and rotting statues made the group feel uneasy. No one said it, but they all felt as if they were being watched.

They pulled their Rhino s over by the entrance and tied them down. They continued on foot towards the fake location that Iroh had sent them too.

"It's this way." Mongke said

"Look at that." Vachir whispered. He pointed to an open stone door. A red ruby was shining brightly over it as a thin beam of sunlight hit it at just the right angle. They didn't move for a moment.

"Is that a sun stone?" Kaichi asked.

"I think so. It is the solstice today." Ogodei answered.

"Well…come on." Mongke said.

"I'm not going in there." Iroh said.

"Oh please! Don't be such a baby." Mongke said, fed up with Iroh's annoying complaints.

"You can go. I will stay here and make sure the horses and maps are all okay."

"Fine. More glory for us." Kaichi said and stepped forward. The other warriors followed close behind.

Iroh waited until they were gone before looking back at the maps. He worked quickly, eager to add a new line onto the original map. He was not going to let the mighty race of the dragons become extinct.

But before he could do anything, he heard his companions shriek. "AAHHH!" He looked at the cave and saw a wave of dark green goo pour out of the room. The other warriors were swept away by it. As they kicked and punched, unable to escape the goo's grip, the greens sludge began to move slower, turning into some kind of glue-like substance and freezing the fighters before they could escape.

"Help!" Vachir yelled.

"We're stuck." Mongke complained.

"Hang on. I will get you out." Iroh ran up to them, but hesitated to kick the goo, afraid that he would be trapped as well. He prepared a ball of fire in his hands and shot it at the gunk, but it didn't do much. His fire wasn't hot enough.

"Come on! Get on with it!" Mongke moaned.

"Hang on a minute. I will look for something to pry you out." Iroh ran away from them and went to go look for a stick. He saw a tree far on the other side of the ruins and ran for it.

"RAAAAAAAAAAA!" A horrible sound came bellowing from the sky above him. Iroh spun around, looked up...and he saw it. One of them. One of the terrible and magnificent beasts of legend flew right over Iroh, not even noticing him as it passed. The wind around him exploded in a gust that would rival a hurricane.

The giant flew towards two mountains in the distance and slithered into one of the caverns on its side.

Iroh had never been scared before (never truly scared) but seeing that creature brought out a strong sensation of fear from the depths of his mind and all of his animal instincts screamed "RUN!".

But another voice screamed inside him. It was the same voice that inspired him to see the ocean and to study the Avatar. It was the voice from the spirits that told him to see things that most people would overlook or take for granted. It yelled "What are you waiting for" and pushed him towards the cave.

"What are you waiting for?" Mongke shouted, growing impatient. Iroh looked back at the other warriors, thinking of what to do.

"Don't worry!" He yelled, but not too loudly, afraid that the dragon would hear him. "I'll be back as soon as I find something that can help you."

And the prince ran towards the caves, not knowing what he was thinking.


	27. Meeting the Masters

Before I continue with this mini-series, let me clarify something. Avatar is vague on when Iroh "slays" these dragons. He is called the Dragon of the West, but it is unclear whether he was called that during or after the siege of Ba Sing Se. He obviously couldn't have met the dragons on the way to the Ba Sing Se because the dragons are in the Fire Nations. And he attained his spiritual enlightenment after Lu Ten died.

So rather than make this story "perfect", I decided to add this chapter here and make it sound more plausible, for the sake of…myself…

…anyway, here we go.

* * *

**Meeting the Masters**

Iroh felt his heart pound loudly.

"What am I doing?" He asked himself as he slowly inched towards the lair of the two monsters. He stood in front of a pair of ominous mountains, each tall enough to block out the setting sun and cover Iroh in a long, creeping shadow.

All of his common sense told him that he should run, but his soul pushed him forward.

Iroh's fear heightened his sense to a level they had never felt before. The sound of his beating heart was the only thing that made a noise. Besides that…nothing. Not even a bird chirping. There was absolutely no sound near these caves. Nothing around him was alive.

Iroh gulped. He pressed his body against the mountain wall and slowly crept around its base. He went slow, trying to be as silent as his surroundings. His sweat dripped down his forehead and tangled the hairs of his beard.

What Iroh saw next was certainly surprised him. A giant stone staircase, as ancient as the ruins he had passed through, lead up to a bridge made of black rock that connected the two mountains. Like a tombstone for a God, it sat at the top of the stone city. Iroh stared at it for a moment, debating whether or not he should climb gloomy steps.

"Well…I didn't come all this way for nothing."

He marched towards the steps and began to climb them, one at a time, each second feeling like an hour.

"_Shouldn't we warn him?"_

"_No! We have to remain hidden. If he tells his friends that our civilization is still alive…"_

"_But he'll be killed if the masters…"_

"_Be quiet!"_

Iroh turned around quickly, thinking he heard voices behind him. But there was no one there. Just a few bushes and decaying ruins. He turned back to the steps and continued.

"As if I am not crazy enough…now I'm hearing voices." Iroh joked, but he didn't laugh.

"_The masters haven't accepted someone in decades. What makes you think that this chubby oaf will be any different?"_

"_I don't. Just sit back and watch the show."_

Eventually, Iroh reached the top of the stairs.

"Great." He said, catching his breath. "Now I just need to pick a tunnel." He looked down both dark holes, not sure which way to go. "Oh! I know!" Iroh reached into his pocket and pulled out a Lotus Tile, a token that he had taken with him for good luck. "Heads, I go left. Tails, I go right."

Iroh flicked the coin off his thumb and sent it flying in the air.

"RAWWWWWW!"

Iroh's heart stopped beating. The coin fell to the ground and, just as soon as it touched the stone, began to jump as the floor rumbled. The tremors were so great, Iroh had trouble standing.

Then a giant gust of wind came out of both tunnels and blasted the overweight man onto his backside. Iroh looked down one cavern and saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes shining from the darkest depths of the hole.

"REEEEEEEEEEEE!"

An ear splitting screech echoed out of the hole…and then the beast appeared.

Launching itself from its shadowed home, it flew over Iroh's head, pushing the air around it into a tornado. Iroh could not believe how big it was up-close! It was a behemoth that the prince could never have envisioned in his darkest nightmares. Its head was hairy and scaly and pearl white teeth and horns decorated its angry face. Its tail flicked like an out-of-control whip. Its scales were red, as if it adorned itself with its victim's blood. Iroh felt its mighty wings crash flurries of powerful air down on him, making it even more difficult to stand.

Iroh covered his head when he saw its tail come close to him, causing him to look in the direction of the other cavern.

"Well, at least it can't get any worse!" Iroh yelled.

"RAAAAAWWW!"

Iroh froze and looked down the second tunnel. Another pair of terrifying eyes appeared and the second monster flew out with its friend. This one was blue like the sky but was just as ferocious as the red dragon.

Iroh could not describe the feeling of true humility that overcame him. His castle, his bending, his army and strength, all of that had kept him safe and alive prior to this horrible encounter meant nothing. Now he was helpless, completely vulnerable. He told himself that he _was going_ to die! In fact, he was convinced of it.

The dragons danced around him, spinning and circling, biting at the air, scratching at the wind that their own wings conjured. Iroh thought that they were toying with him. He began to sweat even more, knowing that in a few more seconds, he'd be dead.

Iroh pulled himself up and sat down on his knees. Feeling his honor already pass into the next world, he closed his eyes and bowed his head and waited for the dragons to kill him.

"_Lu Ten…"_ The prince saw his son's laughing face in his mind. _"…I am sorry."_

Then, just as suddenly as the hurricane winds had risen, they stopped. Iroh couldn't hear the dragons anymore.

He slowly opened his eyes. "Ah!" He screamed. One dragon had perched itself directly in front of him, it enormous face mere feet away from Iroh. It was sniffing at him. The air from its nostrils pulled at Iroh's beard. It stared at him with molten eyes filled with rage and fury.

Iroh turned around slowly and saw the other dragon doing the same to his back. Sniffing, staring, breathing heavily.

Iroh's fingers began to twitch. He closed his eyes again and kept thinking of his son…and his wife. Two people of his family, one in the spirit world, the other in the human world. They were the only things he wanted to think about as he crossed over.

But unknown to Iroh, the dragons knew what he was thinking. They knew the horrible things his ancestors had done. They saw the Fire Lord's lust for power, the deaths of millions of people, genocide of the Air Nomads…and they saw that none of that mattered to the prince. The only thing that the man cared about was his family.

"_The master's are judging him…" The voice from the bushes whispered._

The dragons climbed down a few feet and opened their mouths. Iroh opened his eyes again.

"…_this…cannot be!"_

The dragons inhaled deeply and then spewed out two massive blasts of flames. Iroh screamed as he was engulfed.

The flames exploded around him, but he was not burned. The essence of fire bending surrounded the prince. In a few short seconds, he learned more about fire bending than Siku had taught him in a decade of training. He saw The Circle: life changing into death and death changing into life and saw it repeat over and over and over again. He felt an incredible energy surge through his body and rejuvenate him. He felt his inner fire grow and grow, until it felt like flames could pour out of his mouth.

The cyclone of fire reminded Iroh of everything he had learned in his life. Love, compassion, true strength…and through the will of the spirits, he remembered three important words.

"…The Avatar grows…" Iroh said, feeling the static power seal itself inside his body.

Then, again, just as suddenly as it had begun, the flames disappeared. The dragons roared once more before flying back into their caves, slithering out of sight as if they had never existed at all.

Iroh had been transformed. One moment ago, he was sure that was going to die. Now, he felt as though he'd live another hundred years.

He looked at his hands. He felt stronger. He felt his heart. It was still racing. He looked back at the tunnels and smiled, feeling grateful for gaining such wisdom. And more importantly…a second chance.

"…The Avatar grows…" Iroh repeated out loud to himself. "…and so must I."

With that, the prince began to climb back down from the home of the true fire bending masters, happy to have learned from them.

"_He…he passed!"_

* * *

"Where have you been?" Mongke yelled. The other warriors were not happy with Iroh. He was supposed to be gone for a few minutes, but he had left them alone for several hours.

"Yeah, what took so…" Kaichi stopped mid-sentence. "…you look different. What happened?"

"Who cares?" Mongke whined. "Get us out of here!"

Iroh punched the glue and flames exploded out of his knuckles. The glue-like goo dissolved in seconds.

"What…how…why…" Vachir was shocked.

"Why didn't you do that earlier? You fool!" Mongke was enraged at the prince.

"You dare talk to your prince like that! Be silent!" Iroh yelled at the warrior, who immediately recoiled. "I have something I must tell you all." Iroh paused.

He looked back at the caverns, where the last two dragons slept. Were they really beasts, or did they act like ones because people treated them that way? Iroh reasoned that the dragon acted so ferocious was because they had a tremendous secret to protect. And if they died, their secret died with them. The prince made a quick decision, knowing that he could not let their secret perish.

"I…" Iroh thought carefully of what he was about to say. "…I am sorry, but you are too late. I killed the dragons myself."


	28. The Conquering Heroes Return

**The Conquering Heroes Return**

"Three cheers for Prince Iroh!" Siku shouted and the room exploded with praise for Iroh, the newly named Dragon of the West.

Iroh spent the night retelling his story of how he single-handedly "killed" two mighty dragons. He told his audience how they were stupid creatures and that they were very slow, which was their weakness. He told them how he tricked them into biting each other's necks and how they fell into a deep canyon, how Iroh heard their gigantic bodies hit the bottom.

The royalty and noblemen listen eagerly. The Fire Nation's greatest son had made his people proud…

…with the exception of the adventures that didn't get a chance to even see the dragon. The brave warriors who led Iroh to the lairs of the beast did not receive any credit or even a warm welcome home. They were invited to Iroh's victory party, but that only increased their jealousy, as they were stuffed into the corner of the room and given the scraps from those who out ranked them.

"Jerk." Vachir blurted out after the crowd finished cheering for Iroh.

"Oh come on. He did a great job." Ogodei defended his prince.

"I never got to use those scales…" Kaichi, moaned.

"We never even got to see them." Mongke said with spite.

Yeh Lu just nodded and groaned, and swallowed another drink.

The disappointed fighters complained to each other quietly for a few more hours, making sure that no one heard them.

The night rolled on and the prince received more praise. Just as the group was about to walk out, Iroh himself approached their table, baring his usual warm smile.

"Hello my friends." He said with a youthful pitch in his voice. None of the warriors responded to him. "I just wanted to say thank you for leading me on that dangerous journey. If it weren't for you, I never would have even found those monsters. I owe you all extreme thanks."

Iroh bowed, but the warriors remained silent. They felt better that someone had finally thanked them, but they still had no tangible reward.

"Oh, by the way…" Iroh reached into his sleeve and pulled out a heavy sack. "I believe this is yours." He dropped it on their table and they all heard the sound of gold coins clanking against each other.

"What's this?" Mongke asked.

"Compensation. You have all earned it."

"We don't want you piety." Vachir insisted.

"Who is pitying? You are all strong, brave warriors. You all deserve a reward. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart."

"Thank you…my lord." Ogodei said with a modest bow.

"I did it because I wanted to…and for no other reason. You do not need to thank me."

Then Iroh turned to Mongke, who still looked angry at him.

"Captain Mongke…I think you deserve reward too. As a general, I have many connections. I believe we should talk about your upcoming promotion." And Iroh smiled once more.


	29. Teaching Lu Ten

**Teaching Lu Ten  
**

"Again!" Iroh commanded.

His student stood parallel to his master, he threw his hands into the air, matching Iroh's movements, and both benders launched a great ball of flames into the air.

"Much better!" Iroh congratulated his son, who was turning out to be very good pupil.

"Thank you Master." Lu Ten said, being respectful. The boy was not much of a boy anymore. He was a young man, tall and as handsome as his father was at that age. He was confident and strong, but still gentle like his mother.

"I think that's enough training for one day." Iroh smiled. They bother bowed to each other and their training session ended. "Thirsty?"

"Very." Lu Ten smiled. Iroh slapped his boy's shoulder. They walked over to the tea table they had built in the palace garden. A pot of jasmine was already waiting for them.

Iroh poured his son's cup, then gave the pot to Lu Ten and Lu Ten poured of his father's. The bowed and clacked their cups together and drank.

"Father." Lu Ten spoke up.

"Yes?" Iroh poured himself another cup.

"There is something I have been meaning to ask you for a while…" Lu Ten paused.

"You have my attention son."

"Well…for so long, you have been involved in strategy and maintaining the welfare of the Fire Nation homeland. Grandfather is getting older and…the throne may need a successor soon."

"What is you question my son?" Iroh stroked his beard.

"Father….why would you agree to lead the siege at Ba Sing Se now? I mean, the army is at its peak, it's so far away…and, let's face it old man. You're not getting any younger."

"Hey! This old horse still has some miles to run." Iroh flexed his muscles.

"If you say so." Lu Ten gulped his tea. "But still…I don't want the old horse to get hurt."

"Lu Ten…" Iroh put his hand on his son's shoulder. "…for the longest time I have wanted to see the world. I have dreamed of seeing the inside of the walls of Ba Sing Se. You are much more important to me than simple dreams. I needed to make sure that you had a family and that you were cared for. Now you are a young man and you are strong. Now is the perfect time for me to leave because I am sure that you will be safe. I will see inside the walls of Ba Sing Se, whether they let me in…or if I have to smash the walls down."

Lu Ten smiled.

"In that case…" He grabbed the pot and filled up his tea cup. "…a toast to the Earth Kingdom. May the spirits have mercy on their poor souls."

"Ha-ha!" Iroh clacked his cup against his son's. "To the poor Earth Kingdom!"

Iroh drank deeply.

Lu Ten looked down at his feet as his father drank. He felt guilt swell up inside him. Unfortunately for Iroh, Lu Ten want to see the world too…

**To Be Continued…**


	30. Recruit

**Recruit**

Lu Ten waited outside his father's door, petrified, worried of what his father would think. He inhaled and tapped his fist on the door.

_Knock-knock!_

"Come on in." Iroh yelled. Lu Ten sneaked inside. "Oh, my son. Where have you been all morning?" Iroh was happy to see his boy, as always.

"Father, I…" Lu Ten choked. "…I have something I must tell you."

"Alright. You may speak." Iroh put his cup of tea down.

Lu Ten sat down on his knees and bowed, not looking at his father. Fear and shame coursed through him and he felt the dishonor rise from the guiltiest part of his soul.

"Father…today I…" Lu Ten closed his eyes and, impulsively, he confessed his offense in one quick sentence."…I join the Fire Nation army."

Iroh jumped to his feet. "WHAT!" The prince yelled at his son, furious.

"Father, I have wanted to see the world for so long…I want to be a great fighter. I can never accomplish any of my dreams by staying home…"

"NO! Absolutely not!" Iroh screamed. "I forbid this! You can _not_ go! It is impossible for you to! The other officers and I had an agreement! You will stay here, safe and unharmed!"

"Father…"

"I do not want to hear anymore of this!"

"Father, my name is already on the army's list."

"NO!" Iroh yelled, fuming. "I was promised that you would not be drafted!"

"And I was not drafted father. I joined of my own free will." Lu Ten gulped. Iroh tried to catch his breath. He was so angry, he couldn't think straight. "I am shipping out tomorrow morning with the 15th ground troop to the Shun Province of the southern Earth Kingdom."

Iroh gasped. "The southern Earth Kingdom! Lu Ten, the lands of Shun is one of the most chaotic places in the world! Even when the fighting stops, there are bandits and monsters!"

"I did not choose where I would be going. The army assigns me my location. This is what I wanted, and this is what I will do now. It is my life."

Iroh began to sweat. Everything had happened so fast, all of the barriers he had built had fallen down. He saw Meng Ha's face in his mind and heard his wife screaming again. Iroh swore to keep their son alive, and now he was about to lose him.

"No…no! This isn't…son! You can not do this to me!" Iroh came dangerously close to crying in front of his son.

"Father…please forgive me." Lu Ten stood up, still staring at the floor, and slowly tried to march out of his father's room. But Lu Ten's legs were limp. With his father enraged, he felt no strength or pride. Only shame.

Iroh began to breathe heavily. He looked around, trying to think. No one had ever left the Fire Nation army. It was treason, punishable by death. He looked on his desk and the small portrait of Meng Ha.

"_Spirits…help me!"_ Iroh's thoughts screamed.

Then, in a suddenly flash, he thought of something. A loophole.

"Stop!" General Iroh yelled, freezing his son in his tracks. "If you must go to war, then you will be reassigned to come with me to Ba Sing Se!"

Lu Ten looked back, shocked. "Father, no. I am going to…"

"I am the general of the greatest military force the world has ever known! And if I say that you will be reassigned, then you _will_ be reassigned!" Iroh screamed.

"Father…"

"You are a solider! You would be wise to obey your general. And you are still my son. You would be wise to obey your father's orders as well!"

Lu Ten bowed. "Yes General Iroh."

"Good! Now get out of my sight! In three days, we leave for the wall!" Iroh turned around and did not look at his son as he left.

The moment he heard the door close, Iroh began to write the document needed to transfer Lu Ten to the 212th Reinforcement Unit.

As he wrote, he kept glancing at the portrait of Lu Ten's mother. When he felt the anger and the stress resurface, he looked at his beloved wife and continued to write, determined to keep his promise to her.


	31. Shipping Out

**Shipping Out**

"There she is!" Iroh pointed to the ship and he and Lu Ten would be taking to the Ba Sing Se.

"It's enormous!" Lu Ten couldn't believe the size of the cruiser. He had never seen anything so big in his life.

"If you think _that_ is big, wait till we get to the Earth Kingdom. I have heard that there are animals and statues, and even people, of incredible sizes and shapes."

"This is going to be great!" Lu Ten smiled.

Iroh stepped away from his son. "You better get to your unit. I will meet you on the ship."

"Yes sir!" Lu Ten saluted and marched away. Iroh watched him leave, still very concerned.

Lu Ten had joined the army against his father's will and Iroh had to make the emergency decision of having him reassigned to the platoon that Iroh was commanding. The past two days waiting for their ship to be prepared were spent in painful silence. Iroh was too angry at his son to speak to him and Lu Ten was too ashamed to try and apologize.

But eventually, Iroh apologized for not acknowledging his son's dreams and broke their silence. He apologized for keeping his son locked away from the rest of the world, remembering how much he hated being hidden away in the palace when he was a young man too. While he did not approve of Lu Ten going against his wishes, Iroh realized that acts of disobedience for the sake of fulfilling ones dreams ran in the family.

And there was another reason, something else that put Iroh in a very good mood.

* * *

"Cast off!" General Shu yelled and the ship left the port. The crew cheered once, and then went back to work.

Lu Ten was sent to scrub the lower levels. Being the son of the general, he had a lot of hazing to go through before he would be accepted as an equal.

General Iroh stood at the brim of the ship, gazing at the magnificent waves and the shinning sun. It had taken him over forty years, but he was finally on a ship. Closing his eyes, he breathed in the salty air and heard the gulls laughing at him. He felt a rare sensation grow inside him. It was the feeling someone gets when they know that they were creating a memory. It was the feeling that arises in a human being when they feel so fulfilled that they could die and be happy.

Iroh felt the same feeling on his wedding day and again when he met the dragons. He felt the sensation that day because one of his dreams was finally fulfilled.

Iroh opened his eyes and looked at the ocean with joy. It was not a beach, or a lake, or a painting. It was the actual ocean. The sea was finally his.


	32. Omen

**I forgot to upload my story about Azula's birth! I wrote it and lost it and found it _after_ the last post. But I figured out a way to add her back into the story. Check it out.**

* * *

**Omen**

The sky was dark and heavy and the air was cold, gradually blowing faster.

After only a week at sea, the crew of the 212th Navel Reinforcement Unit was about to encounter a big storm. Every man on board scrambled to tied down everything of important. Lu Ten struggled to keep up with his labor, while Iroh oversaw the Privates work.

Zhao was there, the young man who had been in the army since he was eight. Serving under General Shu, who was acting as their guide back to Ba Sing Se. Iroh did not like Zhao, and disliked seeing him work beside Lu Ten even more.

The lesser men worked hard while the two commanders stood on the higher level of the ship, watching. General Shu stood next to The Dragon of the West, and pointing to each lazy solider, yelling to "Move Faster", fearing the approaching squall.

"Come on! Put your backs into it you poor excuses for sailors! That storm is going to blow all of you into the ocean if you don't work harder!" General Shu yelled.

"You work them so hard." Iroh said, stroking his beard.

"If I didn't, they would be good soldiers. Besides sir, look at that sky." General Shu held his hand out towards the black clouds. "Have you ever seen a storm so ferocious?"

Iroh's eyes narrowed. "…yes General…I have…" Iroh grabbed the nearest guardrail and squeezed it. "…the night…_she_ was born."

* * *

"_Push harder! Almost done!" The midwives yelled and urged Ursa to keep going. After an hour and a half of painful childbearing pains, Iroh heard his sister-in-law scream and then heard the gentle cry of a baby followed by a gasp of relief. Iroh leapt to his feet when he heard the infant._

_He had brought two gifts; a comb and a toy solider, one for either sex. Iroh was excited to become an uncle again. His foot tapped eagerly._

_A midwife came out of the birthing room and Iroh stepped forward._

"_Well?" He said._

"_It's a girl!" The midwife smiled. Iroh clapped his hands together and thanked her for the good news. "But I'm afraid the infant princess is still very fragile and Lady Ursa is very tired. It would not be wise to enter the chamber with her majesty just yet."_

"_How long do I have to wait?" Iroh asked like an impatient child._

"_I think it would be best to wait until tonight." The midwife smiled nervously._

"_Tonight?"_

"_Yes my lord. I'm sorry, but…I'm sorry. I have to go back inside and help." The midwife disappeared back into the birthing room._

_Iroh sighed, disappointed. "Oh well." He looked at the toy solider. "I suppose Zuko would like this." Iroh put the toy solider boy away and then placed the comb in the chair next to him._

_Not planning on leaving until he saw his niece, and not having anything else to do that day, Iroh crossed his legs and began to meditate, to contemplate on the new life that had entered the world._

_But instead of seeing a peaceful, serene vision that he had hoped for, Iroh saw storm clouds and lightning and a blue dragon fly through rings of blue fire. Disturbed by the unusual violence and chaos, Iroh continued to meditate on his thoughts. Over and over he scanned his vision, but could not determine what the symbols meant. He only felt dread._

_In the middle of his meditation, he was abruptly slapped on the top of his head, ending his spiritual thought._

"_Wake up." Ozai said to his older brother._

"_Ozai? You're here already?" Iroh was surprised._

"_Already? How long have you been here?"_

"_What time is it?"_

"_The sun is setting."_

"_What? How long was I…" Iroh scratched his head, not sure why the Spirits world would keep him in his vision for so long._

"_Well?" Ozai growled at him as he entered the birthing room. "Are you coming to meet you niece?"_

"_Oh. Oh! Of course I am." Iroh stood up and both brothers walked into Ursa's room._

_Fire Lady Ursa was asleep in her comfortable bed. Dimly lit candles were scattered throughout the room. A small crib rested on her right side._

"_Is the baby asleep?" Iroh whispered._

"_How should I know?" Ozai said as he walked over to his daughter's bed. He looked into the cozy basket and saw a little pair of golden eyes look back at him. Ozai smiled and waved to Iroh._

_Iroh looked over Ozai's shoulder and sighed. "Brother, she is adorable. If she stays that cute, she will have plenty of men chase after her."_

"_Or run away." Ozai said._

"_What is that supposed to mean?" Both brothers whispered._

"_Do you remember when my…other child was born? You told me that with every new life comes the chance for change?"_

"_Something like that, yes."_

"_Well, this princess has incredible potential. I can feel it. These days I have more time on my hands. I can invest in this little girl. And I will not make the same mistakes that I did with that 'accident' Zuko."_

"_Ozai! How could you say something so heartless about your own…wait a minute! Where is Zuko today?"_

"_Don't worry. The brat is being watched over." Ozai leaned closer to his daughter and smiled. He looked at Iroh, still grinning. In the candle light, Ozai looked like a demon ready to devour the baby's soul._

"_Azula." He said._

"_That is her name?" Iroh asked._

"_Yes. After our father. So that she will inherit his great military skills and his desire to conqueror."_

"_Conqueror? Ozai…she's a little girl. She should be taught to dance and sing and…"_

"_She will be taught anything that I want. She will become an ideal heir to the throne."_

"_Heir? She is a girl, and the younger sibling at that. It's Zuko's birthright to…"_

"_To what? Oh, right. It's the older brother who is the one that deserves everything, right?"_

"_Ozai, I thought we put all of that behind us." Iroh scowled at him. Ozai looked away._

"_Don't confuse our past problems with this little one's destiny." Ozai continued. "I will not make the same mistakes with Azula." Ozai rubbed his hand across his daughter's forehead and paused. "I'm going to make sure she is just like me."_

_When Ozai finished his sentence,a thunderbolt clapped outside, as if the Spirits were sealing the little girl's fate._

_Iroh looked out the window. A tremendous storm covered the sky, blackening the sun. The darkest cloud Iroh had ever seen was on that day. The day Azula was born._


	33. The Technique

**Can figure out what the "Technique" is?**

* * *

**The Technique**

"Faster!" General Shu shouted. "The sooner we unfreeze the ship, the sooner we can leave this forsaken wasteland."

The crew was in a frenzy, each man working to pry their vessel out of the ice that trapped them.

On the way to the Earth Kingdom, a powerful storm knocked the ship off course and, when the sun rose, 212th Naval Reinforcement Unit had ended up in the northern ice circle. One freezing wave was all it took to push the ship into an ice sheet and halt their journey.

Now General Shu was trying to get them out of the ice before the General saw.

"If General Iroh sees us…" Shu didn't finish. General Iroh walked on to the plank. "General Iroh. I'm…I'm sorry sir. There was a wave and…"

"Do not worry about it Shu." Iroh waved his hand over the officer's face. "Just get it out of the ice as fast as possible. We're in water bender territory and we're _surrounded_ by water, so the sooner the better."

"Yes sir!"General Shu commanded the men to work faster. "Zhao, make your platoon work hard!" He looked back at Iroh. "We'll be done in about an hour."

"An hour? Well then…Lu Ten!" Iroh whistled to his son. Lu Ten was down on deck cleaning up the snow.

"Yes General Iroh?" He yelled back and saluted at his father.

"Son, come with me and do some reconnaissance. We need to make sure no one finds our ship."

"Yes sir!" Lu Ten bowed and marched behind his father. The other men sneered at him as he left, jealous of the praise Iroh gave him.

* * *

Lu Ten and Iroh walked together, laughing. Lu Ten was grateful that his father had gotten him out of doing all the hard work, even though he knew that the crew would make him pay for it later..

"It's unbelievably cold here." Lu Ten breathed into his hands, desperate to keep himself warm.

"Don't worry. If the water benders can survive it, then so can we." Iroh assured his son.

"So…what do we do if we see one of those savages?"

"Well, most importantly, we try to stay hidden. Because they can call _more_ water benders. Remember, we are in their territory. We only fight if we must."

"Right General Iroh." Lu Ten said. Iroh shook his head. He had taught his son discipline a little too well.

"Are you cold?" He asked.

"Very, but I can endure."

"I think that it is time that I taught you The Breath of Fire Technique. All you do is…"

WHIP! A loud snapping sound came behind an iceberg near them.

"Ow!" A young boy's voice echoed across the snow.

"Shhh." Iroh said to Lu Ten. They both crouched down and slowly crawled around the side of the ice wall.

Slowly inching over the snow, eventually, they peaked over the ridge. Two water tribe savages were bending the snow around them. One was young, a student, and the other was much older. The older was a much better fighter than his pupil; Iroh could tell by the cocky look on his face that he was probably a brother to the smaller one.

"Come on! Stop trying to hit me and just hit me already!" The older one instigated the younger, whom responded by launching an icicle at him. The older waterbender slapped his hands together and the icicle melted in mid air.

"Wow." Iroh whispered. "Look Lu Ten. There have been extremely few Fire Nation, men or women, who get to see these people and survive. Look at how gracefully the move." Iroh watched with eager eyes.

Lu Ten scratched his head. Even though he understood his father's love for wisdom and culture, he did not understand why he enjoyed watching just barbaric people play in the snow. But rather than speak out against his General and father, Lu Ten just sat and watched with Iroh.

Iroh's eyes glistened with excitement as he studied the bender's movements and stances, learn from them, trying to absorb everything he could from watching them …

…then Iroh saw something truly amazing.

The younger one shot a tube of water towards the older one. The elder held out two fingers towards the water, pushed it down his shoulder, around his stomach, across his other shoulder and shot it back out over his other fingers, launching it back with greater force than before.

The little boy was sent flying backwards. Without seeing it coming, he was soaking wet and embarrassed.

"Ha!" The teacher laughed. About to laugh too, Iroh had to cover his mouth. "I win again!"

"No fair! I'll beat you one day!" The younger one stood up and bended the water off his furry clothes.

"Yeah, but not today little bro." The teacher patted his brother on his head.

"Boys!" A woman's voice echoed around the ice. Iroh looked past the boy and saw a small village almost half a mile away. "Come inside and help with your chores!"

The two boys ran away, racing each other back home.

When they were very far away, Iroh jumped up and began to energetically praise them.

"Did you see that?" He rhetorically asked his son.

"Yes sir. I did." Lu Ten still didn't understand why Iroh was so happy.

"The echo…incredible! They shout towards the ice walls so their voices will travel farther. Absolutely incredible!"

"Father, I think we should be getting back now." Lu Ten stood up and began to march back to the ship.

"What? Oh, yes, yes. Let's get going. Wow! Their stances were…they were fluid and loose. Their style was nothing like ours…yet it seemed so familiar."

"Father, they are the enemy." Lu Ten reminded Iroh. For a brief moment, Iroh's face became filled with disappointment. But then he smiled again.

"They are our enemy, yes my son. But today, they were my teachers. In a few seconds, they taught me so much…one day I will repay them." Iroh promised. Lu Ten looked back at his father, this time worried.

"Well…did you learn anything that we could use to defeat them?"

"Son…I thought I taught you better than that, using knowledge just to be victorious."

"I know father. But we _are _at war. And bending of all forms _is_ a way of fighting."

"Point taken my son." Iroh stroked his beard. "Wow! But it was so interesting to see them, wasn't it?"

"I guess." Lu Ten really didn't care.

"And that one move the older one did…he repelled…no! He redirected the little one's attack. Extraordinary."

"Father, if I may be so bold, what good will knowing water bending techniques do you when you cannot bend water yourself?"

Iroh opened his mouth, but didn't say anything. He was dumbfounded; his son was right.

"You are too smart, you know that?" Iroh complained.

"I had a good teacher."

* * *

"Cast off!" General Shu yelled and the ship finally got back on its course. The crew cheered as they departed the ice circle. They got back to work, cleaning and lifting and doing their menial tasks.

But down in the haul, Iroh was busy thinking of what Lu Ten had said. And after contemplating on it, Iroh didn't agree with him.

He had seen something that few people ever see. He had learned something new from the water benders. They were not strong, not aggressive, did not rely on their size and, from what Iroh could tell, they did not have extremely powerful techniques. And yet for decades they had fought off the Fire Nation. For more than half a century, the Northern Water Tribe was the biggest thorn in the Fire Nation's side. No matter how many books or reports he read, Iroh could not figure out what their secret was. Today, he learned it.

They were passive. That was the answer.

They did not strike, they waited for their opponent to strike first. They did not need power, their enemy gave them all the power they needed. They did not need to attack, their defense and their offense were the same. When their enemy pushed, they pulled. When their enemy pulled, they pushed. They were, in battle and in spirit, like water.

The technique that Iroh had witnessed was an embodiment of what it meant to be like water. And, despite what Lu Ten said, Iroh was determined to find a way to use that technique himself. Not to be like water…but to be whole.

"The Avatar grows…" Iroh repeated once and then closed his eyes, ready to dream.

* * *

**THIS was the seed that would turn into the lightening redirection technique.**


	34. Attack

**Attack**

Snoring, Iroh dreamt of the Earth Kingdom. The enormous mountains, the vast open plains, the tall wall of Ba Sing Se…and the sound of them crashing down. **Smash! Bang! Smash!**

The sounds echoed in his mind. Smash! Growing louder each time. **BANG!**

Suddenly, Iroh was tossed out of his bed and thrown onto the floor. His head was immediately bruised. **BANG!** He could not see what was happening. The candles in his room weren't lit. He stood up, but had trouble keeping balance. The ship was rocking erratically.

**SMASH! **He grabbed the steel doorknob and felt a surge of electricity run through him. The air was electricified! Iroh threw the door open, nearly tripping over his own feet.

**BANG!** The hallways were dark and Iroh felt water under his shoes. He struggled to find his way to the top of the ship, looking around blindly for a few minutes, but eventually found his way.

**SHOOSH!** Something flew past his head as he walked onto the main deck, just missing him.

The sky was pitch black with storm clouds and the only sources of light were the blasts of flames shooting out of the fists of his Fire Nation troops.

"Captain!" Iroh yelled. "Lu Ten!"

"Over here!" His son yelled as he launched a wall of flames outward. Iroh scurried over to his son, still obsessed with protecting him.

"What's going on?" Iroh couldn't see who they were fighting.

"Enemies. We don't know if they are Water Tribe or Earth Kingdom. They in black clothes and…" Lu Ten and Iroh nearly fell over as the ship rocked again. "…and they led us right into the edge of a storm. Look out!" Lu Ten yelled.

Iroh ducked, just missing a sword. He blasted an enormous fire ball at a nearly invisible foe and sent him flying off the ship.

"How many are there?" Iroh asked.

"Not sure. But we're going to lose if we don't do something." Lu Ten shot wildly into the dark, hoping to hit something.

**SMASH!** "_That sound again_." Lightning cracked across the night sky, providing light for a quick second. A brief flash, that's all Iroh needed.

Iroh jumped in front of Lu Ten. "Father?" Lu Ten was pushed to the floor by another wave hitting the ship.

"Son, stay down!" Iroh breathed in heavily, pulling his hands up into the air. Quickly, in one fluid motion, he placed his open palms in front of his mouth and breathed a thick wave of hot flames across the entire ship.

The soldiers knew enough to shield themselves from the Dragon's fury, but the invaders were either burned or their clothes caught fire, revealing themselves at last.

"There men! Send them back to where they came from!" Iroh yelled and the soldiers' moral was restored. Sparks blasted out over the ship and the stealthy attackers began to retreat. Some didn't even get into their boat; they just jumped into the water, desperate to find relief from their smoldering burns.

**SMASH!** Another flash of lighting and Iroh saw the enemies' main. Iroh breathed again, closing his eyes. He held out two fingers in both hands and focused. Blue sparks appeared around him, swirling and bending.

Iroh guided them together, combined the opposing energies, and fired it in the direction of the ship. Lightning crashed against the ship's sails, crippling the vessel.

The crew held their weapons in the air and cheered, praising their great General. Iroh did not even acknowledge their applause. He merely inhaled and lowered his hands.

Lu Ten, lying on the floor, was amazed at his father's power.

"Father…" Lu Ten said with a gasp. Iroh looked at him and, goofily, smiled.

Before either could say anything else, ship jumped, knocking Iroh and his son across the guardrails. During the fight, their ship had slipped deeper into the storm and was now being tossed over the waves like a ball.

"Hold on!" Iroh grabbed the guardrail, but was having trouble keeping his grip. **BANG!** Another bolt lit up the sky. Iroh saw the looming shadow of a massive tidal wave closing in on the ship. He tried to tighten his grip on the rail, but one of his hands slipped.

"Father!" Lu Ten yelled and held out his hand, trying to help. Iroh reached for it, but then…the wave hit. The ship bounced and nearly toppled onto its side. Iroh was flung into the sea and sunk deep into the water. "FATHER!"

* * *

The storm ended quickly. The crew pulled themselves together, counting the casualties and recollecting their supplies.

While the sailors worked, Lu Ten refused to leave the crow's-nest, constantly looking through his eyeglass.

"Private Lu Ten! We need your help down here." The lieutenant, who replaced their missing Captain, yelled up to him. Lu Ten tired to ignore him, not respecting his authority. "Private Lu Ten! Down here now!"

Reluctantly, Lu Ten climbed down to the main deck and helped his fellow soldiers.

"Why aren't we looking for him?" Lu Ten asked about his father.

"Lu Ten…we barely survived ourselves. We're still under orders; we have to keep going to Ba Sing Se."

"But…the general…"

"Don't worry. General Iroh is a very resourceful man. We're only a few days away from Ba Sing Se and only few hundred miles from the shore line of the Earth Kingdom. He is probably fine. We need to move on."

"And what if he is not fine?" Lu Ten asked with clenched fist. The lieutenant looked at the ground.

"…then we need to move on anyway."


	35. A Very Resourceful Man

**A Very Resourceful Man**

The wave smashed against the ship. Iroh was flung into the sea and sunk deep into the water. He was surrounded by cold, wet darkness and his heavy armor pulled him deeper into the abyss. Ignoring their value, he ripped the shinny plates off him and let them sink. He swam wildly to surface, hungry for air.

The world above the waves was just as dark as the abyss below him and even more turbulent. Iroh looked for his ship, but the world was too dark. He tired to breath out flames to signal for help, but with the cold, the wetness and his exhaustion, he could little more than puff out some smoke.

"LU TEN!" Iroh screamed, but was not heard. The waves were very high and Iroh knew that he would drown if he did not act fast. He looked up at the sky, quickly figured out which direction the storm was coming from, and began to swim adjacent to the calm waters and a choppy waters, knowing that going into the storm or away from the shoreline was a bad idea.

After a few minutes of swimming, Iroh bumped into some hard and hallow. He ran his hands around it, not being able to see, and realized that it was one of the life boats that had fallen off the invaders' ship. He climbed inside and, remembering the books he read on sailing, began to head across the edge of the storm.

When he was away from the most dangerous part of the squall, he turned the boat towards the shore and tied down the jib, forcing the ship to go straight so he could get some sleep.

"Thank you Spirits." Iroh thanked his friends in the next world for the good fortune.

* * *

BUMP.

Iroh was awoken by the sound of his ship hitting the shore of the Northern Earth Kingdom.

The old man pulled himself onto his feet and stretched. He rubbed his eyes, blinded by the shinning sun, and looked around. He had no idea where he was. Finally being able to see, he looked through the boat, hoping to find something eat, but instead he found a collection of Earth Kingdom clothes. He put them on, knowing that his red silk robes would stand out, and put his Fire Nation clothes into a sack which was also 'borrowed' from the boat. Iroh planned to sell the silk for some food the nearest town.

He looked up at the sun. It was morning, so the sun was in the east. Iroh knew that's where he needed to go, towards the sun…towards Ba Sing Se.

So began to march. He laughed, realizing that that most men would have had a bad day if they were in his shoes. Iroh merely smiled at the road ahead of him.


	36. Travels of an Old man I

A short one, but I'll post again tomorrow. Promise

* * *

**Travels of an Old man I**

"Sigh" Iroh raised his hand and protected his eyes from the sun. "Nice day." He told himself. He had been walking for several hours, looking for a town.

After reading dozens of fictional books on the Earth Kingdom, traveling through the open plains were much different. Iroh had hoped to see a Badger-mole the first day when he arrived. He thought that the very ground beneath him would rumble and break as he walked over, but it was all very calm, very steady. Earth, as he remembered, was a steady, reliable element and was too stubborn to move.

The mountains were as tall as he thought they would be, although he wasn't foolish enough to attempt to climb over one. That didn't stop him from enjoying the scenery. The utter size of the fields he walked through was mind-boggling. The grass reached his knees, never been sheered or cut down by a cold winter. The kingdom was open, completely free.

"It's a shame we're going to have to burn all of this to the ground." Iroh smiled, still thinking like a general.


	37. Fateful Rendezvous

**Fateful Rendezvous**

Iroh's stomach grumbled, empty. He felt hunger scratch the inside of his belly.

"How big is this blasted country?" After a few days of walking, which to Iroh felt like weeks, the beautiful landscape of the Earth Kingdom had become irritatingly dull. And Iroh was well-known for his intolerance towards hunger.

Not knowing who else to blame, he looked up at the heavens and yelled.

"You saved me from the tidal wave! Do you plan to do anything now?" Iroh didn't expect the spirits to actually help him; he just needed to vent.

But no sooner had he begun to complain about his appetite did he a messenger hawk fly over his head. The bird flew low, so Iroh knew that it would be landing soon.

"Thank you spirits!" Iroh yelled as he ran after it, eager to either find the town it was headed for or to catch to bird and cook it himself.

* * *

Luckily, for Iroh and the bird, the nearest town was only over the next few hills.

"Oh, yes! Thank you again Spirits!" The husky man shouted to the heavens when he saw the hamlet and smelled roasting meat over a fire. Iroh walked mindlessly towards the scent, barely paying attention to where he was going. He didn't even notice the flag of the Fire Nation hanging over the town's entrance.

"Hey!" He heard someone yelled at him immediately as he entered the town. "You there!" Iroh turned around and a Fire Nation solider confronted him. "Who are you and what are…" The solider froze when he saw Iroh's face. "General Iroh! Sir, I'm so sorry!"

"Do not worry about…" Iroh paused. "…I mean, you have dishonored yourself by speaking to me so rashly!"

"Forgive me sir!" The solider bowed twice.

"Well…I will give you a chance to atone. I am in the mood for some roast duck."

"As you wish! Immediately sir!" The solider ran to the shop nearest to them and purchased the fattest duck the shop had to sell. "Here sir!"

"And something to drink. Jasmine tea please." Iroh said, being picky.

"Tea? I'm sorry sir…but we don't have any tea left in this town."

Iroh looked back at the heavens and shouted. "That's not funny!"

* * *

Iroh was escorted back to the Fire Nation fortress in the middle of town. That, unfortunately, meant that he had to wait to eat his duck until they arrived there. But the moment he was able to, Iroh devoured the poor animal like he hadn't eaten in months. In a matter of minutes, the bird was bone clean and Iroh's composure rejuvenated itself as he redressed himself in his Fire Nation uniform. Strangely, the dirty brown clothing he had found on the boat had grown on him and Iroh decided to hold on them. Just in case.

"So…" He spoke to the private after finishing his lunch, hoping to have a good conversation. "…this town is controlled by the Fire Nation as well. How long have you been here?"

"Almost a year sir. This town was originally conquered to act as a supply depot for our secret attacks on the eastern territories."

"Oh yes! I heard about those. My father had planned to flank Ba Sing Se by sailing around the world."

"Yes, well…the plan wasn't very successful. Most ships that sailed that way sunk before reaching the half way point."

"What a shame." Iroh didn't know what else to say.

"But we have a new function now. We are going to be a depot for the men attacking Ba Sing Se. We send shipments to our bases around the wall every week."

"About Ba Sing Se…" Iroh began, but was interrupted by the private.

"Aren't you supposed to be leading the siege sir?"

"I still am. But I was separated from my men during a storm. I am trying to find a way to wall. I think fate has led me to this town for a reason. What do you say solider? Can you help me?"

"Absolutely sir. The next shipment to the Ba Sing Se outposts leaves in six days. You can jump aboard one of the supply carriages and, if you leave in the morning, will be at the wall before the sun sets."

"Magnificent!" Iroh clapped his hands in enthusiasm. He smiled at his seemingly unending luck.

Then the private said something that bothered Iroh. Something that the prince didn't expect to hear.

"Your Lieutenant will be surprised to see you. He told us you were dead." The Private said plainly.

"Excuse me?" Iroh looked at the private strangely, not understanding what he had meant.

"Lieutenant Zhao." He repeated.

"Lieutenant Zhao? Of the 212th Naval?"

"Yes. He was in the storm too. We found him two days ago and he jumped on one of the supply carts before you got here. He should be at the wall by now."

Iroh paused. "…really?"

Iroh looked puzzled, not sure of what to make of the situation. Iroh could not quite put his finger on it, but he sensed…something. A voice in the back of his head told him that something was not right.

"Sir?" The private noticed Iroh's confused expression.

"Young man…" Iroh said, still worried. "…I want you to send a messenger hawk to Ba Sing Se immediately. Send a few. Oh, and send another one to the Fire Nation Palace. Tell them that I was separated from my platoon and will be arriving at the wall within a week. And make sure that you mention that I am alive and well."

"Um…yes sir." The Private bowed and left Iroh.

Iroh rapped his fingers on his knee, thinking again. He should have been grateful for Lieutenant Zhao's survival, but there was something strange about it. He guessed that the Lieutenant did not survive the attack. If he did, he would still be on the ship with Lu Ten. If he fell over the side of the boat, he would have drowned. And if he had by some means managed to get to shoreline, what were the odds of reaching the same town that Iroh did…two days in advance.

Iroh felt uneasy. "Perhaps fate _did_ send me to this town for a reason." He said.


	38. Reunion

**Reunion**

Iroh struggled to keep his balance as the supply cart rattled over the stony trail, but he endured the bumpy ride, knowing that he'd be reunited with his son shortly.

After a week of beating every citizen in the town at Pai Sho, Iroh finally left the small Earth Kingdom village and he was back on track with his mission. Ba Sing Se was just waiting to be invaded!

Iroh was also anxious to remind everyone that he was still alive. The captain of his ship, Captain Gao, had reached the wall of Ba Sing Se more than a week before him and had spread rumors that Iroh was dead. Iroh told himself that the captain merely jumped to conclusions…but then again, Iroh could not explain how Gao had survived the same storm that he himself barely lived through.

Iroh was puzzled, but felt content knowing that he would soon reach the base and find out the truth for him.

* * *

Trumpets sounded as Iroh entered the Fire Nation base. Iroh felt the bumpy road of rocks and sand turned in smooth steel. The base had been built from imported metal, even the floor, to protect them from earth benders. Even with the sun setting, the metal gave off a strong wave of heat from being cooked by the desert's ray all day.

When Iroh passed the barracks, everyone cheered as he passed by, overjoyed that their hero was alive. He waved to them while scanning their faces, keeping an eye out for his son.

Iroh jumped off the cart and was saluted by every man around. He saluted back, being polite.

"Excuse me…" Iroh spoke to one nervous private.

"Sir! Private Li Shun of the 91st ground, sir!" His stance was rigid, like a statue.

"Uh…at ease." Iroh said. Private Li put his hands behind his back but was still stiff as a board. "I am looking for the barrack where the 212th Naval is stationed."

"Sir, two barracks down, one barrack up sir!"

"Thank you solider." Iroh paused. "Stand on one leg." He ordered.

"Sir, with pleasure sir!" Li stood on one leg, like a good lap dog.

"Okay, continue what you were doing." Iroh left the mindless newbie.

* * *

As expected, the barracks were wild with noise and active with rowdy men who had been away from women for too long. Iroh heard the men screaming before he even stepped inside. When he entered, the noise disappeared with a uniform 'shhhh' and the men froze when they saw him, not believing who it was.

"Dad?" Lu Ten forgot of his rank and jumped down from his bunk.

"Lu Ten!" Iroh ran over to his boy and hugged him like he used to when he was a child.

"I thought you were dead." Lu Ten hugged him back.

"Nope. Sorry, but you're not getting that inheritance yet." Iroh joked.

"I see a near death experience hasn't changed you at all." Lu Ten replied, his arms still wrapped around his chubby father.

"Near death? Who are you kidding? I could never be _near_ death…death would be too scared to get that close." Lu Ten laughed. So did half of the men.

"It's good to have you back sir!" One man yelled, remembering how Iroh single handedly saved them that night on the ship.

"Yeah! Three cheers for the Dragon!" Another shouted and the troop all hoorayed for their general.

"Thank you. Go easy on this one, will you?" Iroh pointed to Lu Ten. "He's a bit sensitive, you know."

The men began to tease Lu Ten, but he had gotten used to it. His hazing was over and the teasing was more of the kind that occurred between brothers rather than superiors to inferiors.

"Lu Ten…" Iroh looked his son. "…I'd love to take you away from these maniacs…" The men booed him. "…but there's something I have to do. Where is Captain Gao?"

"Gao?" Lu Ten looked puzzled.

"Yes. The captain from our ship. Where is he?"

"Uh…the sleeping quarters for the commanders are at the end of Barrack Row. It's the big building at the end of the camp."

"Thank you son." Iroh hugged him one last time before stepping out of the barrack. "Oh!" He yelled through the doorway, "Next time…I'll be your general again! So shape up you scurvy dogs!"

"Yes sir!" The troop yelled.

* * *

All the things Iroh had asked for were waiting for him in his rsevered room. Among the Earth Kingdom garments he brought with him, there was a porcelain tea set, several books on Earth Kingdom geography, a log book which he had requested, bed sheets, a new suit of armor, a calligraphy set and a large bag of Iroh's personal belongings, mostly clothes and smuggled jasmine tea. When he was settled in, he called for Captain Gao, eager to speak with him.

Twenty minutes after the request had been made, Gao entered Iroh's room. He bowed and saluted his general.

"Sir. I am relived to hear that you are alive and well." Gao said.

"Thank you Captain." Iroh said. He paused, looking for even the slightest odd expression on Gao's face. "Captain, I have to ask…that storm was so severe. How ever did you survive?"

Gao paused. Iroh sensed his nervousness.

"Sir…I'm not really sure. I remember falling over the edge of the ship…then I blacked out. When I woke up, I was on the shore of a beach. I was too tired to move, so I shot a fire ball into the air. One of our soliders found me and took me the supply depot you found too. Then I was sent here. I have thanked the spirits everyday since then."

Iroh didn't say anything for a while.

"Okay. Thank you." Iroh said. "That will be all." Iroh dismissed him. Gao hesitated to leave, but did.

Immediately after Gao left, Major Xing walked into the room. Major Xing was in charge of the rosters for each platoon and deciding how many troops each station received.

"You wanted to see me sir?" Xing asked.

"Yes. Close the door." Xing did as his general commanded. "Did you see that man who just left?"

"Captain Gao?"

"Yes. What base are we in?" Iroh asked.

"Us? We are in Base Five sir."

"And how many bases do we have around Ba Sing Se?"

"Eleven sir."

"All in a line?"

"Excuse me sir?"

"Sorry, let me rephrase that. How are the bases arranged? Their pattern, their strategic location, that sort of thing."

"Oh. Well, most are a few miles away from the wall of Ba Sing Se in a half circle, but two are stationed near the mountain ranges to protect us from flanking units."

"Are those bases far away from here?"

"Yes sir. Several hundred miles."

"Good." Iroh approached Xing and looked him in his eyes. "Major…I want you to re-station Gao at one of those bases."

"Yes sir! Which one?"

"The furthest away from me. Tell him that his magnificent talents are better suited elsewhere."

"Yes sir! He'll be leaving tomorrow morning…"

"No! Tonight. I want him gone before everyone else is asleep."

"Uh…yes sir." Xing saluted and left.

Iroh didn't know exactly why, but he didn't trust Gao. There was something about him that made him uncomfortable. Gao's story…just didn't feel right.

* * *

A few hours passed. The sun was down and the final orders for Gao re-stationing were carried out. Iroh watched from his room as several Ostrich-horses carried Gao away from Base Five. Iroh didn't smile. He just said "…good…" and stroked his beard as he watched him leave.


	39. Preparations

**Preparations**

Iroh woke up early, nervous. Last night, he was reunited with his son. Today, he would have to lead the march towards the wall of Ba Sing Se. The success of the mission, the lives of the men…all were in his hands, including his only child. He began to worry, as he always did whenever he thought of his son's morality.

Iroh looked out his window and saw the gigantic wall in the distance. He had imagined that when he finally laid eyes on it, he would be full of wonder. But now that he finally saw it, he only felt dread. Thinking of the battles ahead, the wall looked like a giant tombstone. Iroh knew that people were going to die…both Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation.

Fraught with fear, Iroh prayed to the spirits and thanked them one last time for all they had done for him. Then left his room. He was not sure what the future would hold, but he had to face it anyway.

* * *

The commanders of the army were waiting for Iroh just outside of their quarters. Everyone was eager to see the Dragon of the West, hoping that he would give them strength and courage.

"Sir. The men are ready." Major Xing said when he Iroh approached him.

"All of them?" Iroh asked. He stood up straight, making sure that his posture was stronger than his enthusiasm.

"Yes sir. They have been awake for almost two hours now."

Iroh inhaled. "Good."

"We are waiting for your orders sir."

Iroh thought carefully. Part of him didn't want to go. He remembered back when he was a young man he dreamed of the day he would be a hero. He wanted to see the ocean and the Earth Kingdom and be a great fighter. He had everything he wanted, and now he was about to risk it all.

Then he heard the voice again. The youthful, lively voice that most people called their conscience, echoing inside his skull, begging him not to go.

Iroh looked at Xing, looked at the base. He felt the tension. He could sense the fear that corrupted the soldiers. They were terrified, all of them. Iroh understood completely, empathized with all of them.

He first had taken the job of leading the siege for glory. But with his conscience urging him to leave, he was not longer interested in securing more fame.

His son, the family of soldiers that he had grown to love…they were in need of a hero. Someone who was strong and brave, who would strike fear into the hearts of the enemy and make sure that his men were protected.

Suddenly, Iroh knew why he was _really_ there, why fate had brought him to the wall.

"Tell the men that we are shipping out in five minutes." Iroh said to Xing. "Send the launch flare up. Alert the other bases that we are moving to attack."

"Yes sir!" Xing ran to the men and shouted at them. The camp became alive with movement as each man darted to their assigned platoon. Iroh watched them. He saw Lu Ten scamper through the base and, for moment, Iroh saw him as a young boy again, running through the open fields of the Fire Nation, eager to play tag and hide-and-seek.

Iroh knew that he was never going to see that helpless child again, but he was proud of the man that Lu Ten had become, although it pained him to watch the little boy run away.

Forcing himself to remain calm, Iroh stood proudly as the troops organized themselves and left the base.

"Sir. Your tank is waiting for you." One of the commanders spoke into Iroh's ear.

"Good." Iroh glanced at his son one more time. "Let's go."


	40. Iroh’s Log I

**Iroh's Log I**

**-Day 1-**

The siege has officially begun! Just before we departed the base, I gave the men a moving speech that really got them "fired" up.

We approached the wall slowly and were greeted by a large battalion of earth benders. They weren't very happy to see us.

I was amazed by how ferociously the men fought. They were truly inspirational! But, as the general, I am not permitted to fight alongside them. I am to command and give strategies to them, safely hidden in a tank at the far end of the army while plenty of good men are on the front fighting dangerous odds.

Oh well. At least I can help the men by just being here.

My plan today was to merely scare the enemy. We attacked furiously, burning everything in sight. The earth benders put up a good fight, but they were clearly discouraged by the sheer power of fire.

We attacked for only an hour, then retreated. I will use guerilla until we have a better understanding of our foe.

**-Day 12-**

I knew that this attack would not be easy, but the earth king is proving to be a worthy opponent. The earth benders are as resilient as they are strong. The fright we gave them when we first attacked has worn off.

Some of the techniques these foes know are very powerful…even scary.

One platoon actually caused the ground to move like the waves of the ocean! I ordered a retreat and managed to save our men from further damage.

Now I understand that Ba Sing Se will not only be a test of my own military prowess, but of the entire Fire Nation as well.

**-Day 13-**

We suffered our first casualties today. A large number of earth benders, combining their forces, turned the land to quicksand and suck in almost a dozen of my men. I issued a fallback after that. Enraged, the soldiers of the casualties' platoon extracted their vengeance with our catapults. The earth kingdom camps ignited like they were made of paper.

I'm sure that we killed more of them than they did of us, but that still won't bring our men back.

**-Day 33-**

We broke through the frontlines today, but were quickly expunged.

One troop was lucky enough to ram their tanks through the potholes and sand traps the earth benders had created and, with the blasting jelly inside, bombed the head commander's tent.

Our men charged in, but a new earth bender commander appeared after only few minutes. The earth benders are much more organized than we were told. While they have savage methods of fighting, they themselves are not savages.

We retreated again, but not without that small victory.

More important than the men lost was the fact that we made it through. We proved it could be done!

And if one wall of earth benders can be broken, so can the giant wall!

**-Day 65-**

I have learned something terrible today. A fact that has only discouraged me and my men.

A large shipment of blasting jelly came to us last night and he decided to give the earth benders a little surprise. We modified one of our catapults to fire extra far away, loaded it up with about a dozen tied jars full of jelly and launched them at wall itself!

There was a massive explosion and a huge chunk of the wall came tumbling down, crushing the earth benders below it.

Our men cheered and fought even harder than they did before.

Ten minutes later, the hole in the wall was almost completely repaired!

The wall is made of strong stone, but stone that is also easy for the earth benders to move and shape. They need only combined their powers and the benders can repair any dent in the wall.

It has occurred to me that, regardless of how much damage we do to the wall, we will not get anywhere unless we destroy as many earth benders as possible.

With these newly discovered, I know now that we are going to be at Ba Sing Se for a very, very long time.

**-Day 79-**

The clothes that I found on the lifeboat that saved my life have proven useful!

The commanders and I have decided that we must use spies to enter Ba Sing Se and help us take the city down from the inside. I presented the garments to them and we sent it back to the supply depot to have a hundred outfits sewed.

Now all we need to do is wait for them arrive and pick out the hundred men. Those chosen must be of darker skin, as I have noticed that many Earth Kingdom citizens are as tan as the peasants back in the Fire Nation. They also must be good at lying.

Tomorrow, we will decide who goes and who stays.

**-Day 81-**

With a heavy heart, we said good bye to the men we chose to become spies. They are good soldiers and they will serve out nation proudly.

Meanwhile, the boys on the frontline did as much damage, made as much noise as they possibly could in order to ensure that the spies would not be seen as they entered the city.

We saw them leave, then we charged. Now we can only hope that they made it across the city's borders.

While they can communicate with us, I will be unable to reach them so they are on their own.

Spirits…please watch over them.

**-Day 94-**

Out spies have made their first report, though it was a little behind schedule.

The entered the city through the east side after traveling around the wall for a week, disguised as refugees.

Thankfully none of them were spotted. Should even one be discovered, the city would become uproarious and begin searching for the other spies.

They are laying low and gathering their information about the city through eavesdropping at local taverns and on the streets.

They are due to report back in another ten days.

**-Day 100-**

It has been 100 days since we arrived. The men are tired, so we have decided to retreat and lay low for a few days.

I have ordered some flying boars to be cooked for them, as thanks for their dedication and magnificent fighting.

I will also be giving a speech to them tonight. Although it appears that we are winning more battles than losing, almost two hundred have already perished…men that were well known among the troops. The soldiers are finally seeing the true nature of war. They need a morale boost…badly.

And, unfortunately, I don't know what I am going to say to them. I am going to stop writing this now and get prepared.

**-Day 104-**

The spies have reported something very strange today.

They have listened and asked many questions and it seems that no one in Ba Sing Se knows of the siege. From what they can tell, no one even knows about the war! They can only guess, but the city may be lying to them to keep the citizens calm and quiet.

This may be crucial in defeating our enemy. If their citizens are unaware of our presence, then we need not worry about enemy reinforcements. Once the primary army is destroyed, we will not have to worry about civilians interfering.

Others extremely important facts have also been reported.

Bs Sing Se is not protected by one wall, but five. The first wall is the one we are marching against. The second is a mile behind the first. It is just as tall and even thicker than the first one.

Between those two are the farmlands of the city. If we can break through the front line and get close enough for our catapults to reach, we can ignite their crops and starve the city! An army marches on its stomach, as they say, and empty stomachs will make them weak.

The other walls are in the city and are merely there to divide the social classes. Once the first two fall, the other three will collapse like dominos.

I will inform the men tomorrow of this information. I think it will have a…beneficial effect on them.

**-Day 106-**

As expected, the men are fighting with a vigor that they have never felt before.

Knowing the weaknesses of the city, we are rejuvenated. Our will to crush the enemy has never been stronger.

The men know that it will not be easy, but they know that it is possible! They know that they can do it, they believe in themselves. And I believe in them as well.

I have no doubt in my mind that Bs Sing Se will fall. Be it tomorrow or next year, will shall be victorious.


	41. Iroh’s Log II

**Iroh's Log II**

**-Day 140-**

My commanders strongly advised me not to, but I did it anyway.

After allowing the troops a three day rest, I summoned Lu Ten to my quarters and together we celebrated his birthday.

Nineteen years old…and already a great warrior like his father.

Since we were away from the Fire Nation and our home's laws didn't matter, I gave him his first drink of alcohol. He didn't like it, but drank with me regardless. Perhaps Sake was a bit too strong for his first drink.

I also gave him some candy sweets, a plate of real pork and an apple. After eating soup and rice for a hundred and forty days, Lu Ten enjoyed the gifts more than anything I have ever given him.

I told him to tell the troops that I yelled at him for not delivering my suit of armor to me in time and I made him clean it by hand while I watch. Hopefully, they will believe him and Lu Ten will not be bullied.

**-Day 162-**

I was unsure until today, but we are definitely winning. The earth benders are retreating constantly now and we are getting closer to the wall. I can feel victory within my grasps.

To celebrate, we launched four balls of fire over the wall. If we are lucky, we hit some crops, but regardless of what we hit I am sure that sending four will hopefully send fear through the hearts of the warriors left.

**-Day 177-**

Something has happened.

The spies have reported to us again. The say that a large number of them have disappeared. Not killed, just vanished.

They are not sure where they are, although they are looking.

I cannot communicate back to them, but I hope that they decide to forget about the missing spies and watch their own backs. I do not want the active spies we still have to suffer the same fate.

**-Day 189-**

Blast! After several weeks of victory after victory, we were pushed back by force.

I was not sure what had happened until it was all over, but a powerful group of earth benders wearing triangle hats attacked us.

They were aggressive, fast and did not waste time attacking. And they were very, very powerful! They used lethal bending techniques and many men died. They had these strange stone gloves that they could bend, and their stone gloves could fly onto my men's necks, crushing their throats.

We had to retreat, this time leaving the battlefield because we had no other choice.

Who were those strange warriors? Their skill surpassed most high level fire benders. They were…scary. I hope that we will not hear from them again.

**-Day 201-**

More bad news. Only a handful of spies are still active within the wall. Most are gone.

They are all vanishing. Quite literally, one-by-one.

One of our spies claimed to have seen the same warriors with the triangle hats and stone hands capture some of our men.

I am getting worried. I fear that hope is lost for those inside Ba Sing Se.

**-Day 202-**

An emergency letter has come from behind the wall.

One of the spies, one of the last ten remaining, found a soldier who had disappeared.

When confronted, the spy had no idea who his commanders were, that he was a spy, and had no memory of the Fire Nation War at all! He spoke mindlessly, like the soul had been ripped out of his body.

Terrified, the spies have decided to leave the city. They are not sure what has happened to the captured men, but they are too scared to remain there and find out.

My other commanders were shaken by the report. I think that it is best that those inside the wall retreat.

**-Day 208-**

The strange warriors have returned. They were more ferocious this time. Almost thirty men were killed. And even more terrifying, five men were kidnapped and taken back with them.

The men are growing scared…and so am I.

**-Day 215-**

The spy has returned.

Spy.

_The_ _only_ spy that managed to escape from the city.

He was crying when he found him. He rambled on and on about something called the Dai Lee.

I decided to send him back to the Fire Nation for some rest. I did not tell the men about him or the condition he was in.

I pray to the spirits that the other boys are okay.

**-Day 221-**

Horror! Sheer, maddening horror! That is how is describe today!

This morning, I was awoken by one of my commanders. He was screaming loudly, terrified.

After he calmed down, he said that an earth kingdom representative has come to see me to discuss terms of surrender.

I was overjoyed at first…but my joy turned to fear very quickly.

The representative of the earth kingdom was one of our spies!

He was dressed in an earth kingdom uniform.

His eyes were empty and he spoke to us like a puppet, emotionless and without purpose.

When he spoke of terms of surrender, he meant _us_. The Dai Lee, the warriors who have been causing us so much trouble, said that if we turn around now and leave…none of us will suffer the same fate at the brainwashed spy.

Then the spy said "But I promise that I do not suffer like this. I am happy. I am happy being their slave."

The commanders and I are all scared.

I just returned from a meeting with General Shu and Major Xing to discuss what to do. We decided not to leave. We sent a messenger hawk to the royal palace, telling of what had happened. We hoped that it would return with orders for us to surrender and come home.

But I know my father. He would not do something so merciful.

**-Day 230-**

We have not marched since we heard from the brainwashed representative. The men are scared. I am scared. No one wants to fight those monsters.

I have tried to keep an open mind about all of the nations, including the one we are fighting now.

But the Dai Lee…

…if those are the most powerful of warriors in the Earth Kingdom, then even I believe that they really are nothing but savages.

**-Day 235-**

We were attacked! Several Dai Lee warriors snuck into our barrack and kidnapped ten men.

Then they summoned an earthquake so powerful that it ripped a hole in our steel floor. Everyone woke up to the sound of their fellow soldiers screaming for help. The men who tried to help were captured too.

**-Day 236-**

Everyone has changed their minds about waiting. We all want to fight now!

Capturing our men last night, the Dai Lee had planned to scare us. It did not work.

The men are infuriated! They are out for blood.

Happily, I let them march to the wall. I made sure that the tanks went first, then the kamikaze tanks of blasting jelly, _then_ the men.

The Dai Lee had attacked were so unprepared that it was laughable. They would never expect us to fight back so quickly.

A month ago, we marched for our families back home.

Today, we marched for our family here! For our brothers! And we will not stop until we have our revenge!

* * *

**In Day 162, Iroh chooses to send four balls of fire because the number four is associated with death in Asians cultures.**


	42. Iroh's Log III

**Iroh Log III**

**-Day 238-**

We suffered a humiliating defeat today.

The Dai Lee crushed our men. The tanks did nothing to stop them. The men lost like amateurs.

We retreated, not killing a single earth bender.

**-Day 245-**

We tried attacking again today. We lost fifteen men.

The Dai Lee enjoy shooting rocks at our men's necks and chests and watching us die slowly.

Those beasts. All of them…they are all monsters!

**-Day 258-**

Another battle. Sixty-four casualties. I don't feel like writing anymore today.

**-Day 267-**

The letter we sent to the Fire Lord returned today.

He said that we are not to retreat, not to give up. Every commander was disappointed.

But he did say that we would be getting a huge cache of reinforcements, including tanks and armor, within the week.

My only fear is that we may not last long enough to see those supplies arrive.

**-Day 279-**

The Dai Lee have won again!

My fear has once again changed into anger. I am not supposed to fight and it kills me. My men need me and I am not there for them.

I am beginning to think that this whole siege, volunteering for the job…all of it was a big mistake.

**-Day 284-**

My patience is at an end!

Lu Ten's platoon was attacked. A boulder landed inches away from my son, crushing the man next to him into paste. Had Lu Ten been only a foot over…it would have been him.

I am not going to stand by and watch anymore! Regardless of what my fellow commanders say, regardless of tradition…tomorrow, I march with my men! I will personally destroy every Dai Lee warrior who comes my way!

I swear on Agni that they will pay for what they have done!

**-Day 285-**

I write the following word with great pleasure…victory!  
Before leaving the base, I punched my Major Xing in his face, calling him a coward when he said that a general should not fight with his men.

I led the assault against the Dai Lee. Without hesitation, the first thing I did was shoot lightning. It was so fast, so deadly that the Dai Lee couldn't react in time to block. Two were struck and died instantly.

My men cheered and charged.

I did not immediately go on the offensive. I merely defended my troops. When a Dai Lee attacked my men, I fought back. One was consumed by blue flames by my own hands.

One Dai Lee had the backbone to confront me in a fist fight. I breathed death onto him. He was ashes in mere seconds.

Then they ran away.

My men cheered. I cheered with them. I felt so alive, so powerful.

I never knew that…

_Iroh's pen froze. The prince was could not believe the words he was about to write. But it was the truth._

…I never knew that killing someone could feel so good.

**-300-**

The men are celebrating now that I am on the battlefield with them.

The once terrifying Dai Lee are weaklings compared to the mighty Dragon of the West.

I am praised for my power. The men respect me.

But I feel…strange. Maybe I have been surrounded by death for too long. I can no longer hear that voice that once called to me. I don't feel the urge for peace that has, for the longest time, motivated me.

I think that it is best to just ignore those old desires of peace…for now. Victory for the Fire Nation over the Earth Kingdom savages is more important.

**-375-**

It has been a while since I wrote in this book. Nothing new has really happened.

I am on the front lines every other day now, making my daily routine much more hectic.

I have killed…so many.

I honestly forgot why I started writing this log book in the first place. It doesn't seem important anymore.

I think I will stop writing until something exiting happens.

**-445-**

Finally! For the first time, after staring at it for so long…my hands have touched the wall!

We pushed the earth benders back inside the city and we are planning to start destroying the outer wall tomorrow. We have almost a hundred barrels of blasting jelly ready to be used and we will make sure that the earth benders pay for all they have done.

I cannot wait until the sun rises. That is when the Earth Kingdom falls.

**-446-**

There was an attempt to stop us today, but it did not succeed.

The Dai Lee seemed to have disappeared completely. I think most of them are dead, killed by my own hands.

The explosives were lit. The explosion was incredible! It reminded me of the fire the dragons breathed.

The fuse lit, the thunder came, and, just like that, the wall crumbled.

We poured into the inner wall, burning every field we saw. The small farms had been evacuated and most of the food had been taken with them. But now we have a tremendous advantage over Ba Sing Se.

We have begun the countdown to victory.

**-470-**

It has been a long wait, but Ba Sing Se still stands. I anticipated that they would have starved by now, but it turns out that the city is more resourceful than I had imagined.

The citizens are growing their own plants in each house. Fruits and vegetables, lots and lots of rice.

Also, we have heard that there is a large river that runs through the north side of the city and, of all times of the year, it is mating season for the Salmon-Squid.

They have plenty of food and water!

I have decided that we should go on the aggressive and bomb the second wall as well.

We will give them nowhere to run.

**-date not written-**

I feel strange. I cannot put it in to words, but I have not felt like myself for a very long time. I remember…yes, remember. I _only_ can remember those days. Back when I was a young man who did nothing but dream of seeing the world. When I was just learning fire bending. I remember feeling an incredible sense of peace when I meditated.

Now I cannot even close my eyes without seeing blood.

I wish I could go back, but at the same time…I don't want to. I have become addicted to war…to death. I am good at it, I know I am. Good at killing. I have seen the darkest side of mankind, the side that I tried so hard to avoid.

I now believe that peace is a lie. I believe that people cannot change. And yet, I still miss the days when I was a naïve young man who thought that the world was beautiful. Back when I could laugh…back when I could smile…back when I had love.

Still, I don't need those things. I am…stone. Ironically, after fighting rocks for so long, my heart has become like one.

Perhaps what I have changed into is not such a bad thing…but I still miss the old me.


	43. Letter…

**Letter…**

"_If the city is as magnificent as its wall, Ba Sing Se must truly be something to behold. I hope you all may see it someday…if we don't burn it to the ground first._"

Iroh laughed at his little joke and kept on writing.

"_Until then, enjoy these gifts. For Zuko_..."

Iroh thought of his nephew as he looked at the pearl dagger from the enemy general's. He was sure that Zuko would like it. And, even though the little monster would probably burn it, Iroh also got his hands on a little toy doll for Azula.

* * *

"At least the children can be happy." Iroh said as he finished writing the letter.

He tied the letter to the leg of his messenger hawk and let it fly. Fly back home.

He sighed as he watched the hawk soar away. "_Lucky bird_", he thought. It didn't have power, choice, knowledge, and the only responsibility it had was to make sure that the letter reached its destination. Iroh envied the bird.

Iroh had joined to army to…actually, by now he had forgotten why joined. He accomplish his dream, he saw the world. He had glory, he was a hero. But the places where his dreams took him were not where he had envisioned.

Something was missing. He was not sure what it was, but he felt…empty…broken. Like a missing piece of a broken and he couldn't see his true self in his reflection without that lost piece.

Whenever a messenger hawk left his base, Iroh felt extreme sorrow. The birds, even though they had assigned destinations, the path they took to get there was their own choice.

Iroh had another one of his infamous epiphanies as we watched the bird fly away. Somewhere between joining the army and fighting on the battlefield, he had changed.

He was unhappy.

His son was fighting with him and Lu Ten was safe, but this wasn't what Iroh wanted. He didn't know what he wanted anymore. The little boy inside him was gone…

…and the war kept raging on.


	44. An Accident

**!Tear Jerker Alert!**

* * *

**An Accident**

The siege at Ba Sing Se had rolled on for 550 grueling days. The troops were anxious and tired at the same time; they wanted to take over the city and go home already. To make matters worse, the Earth Kingdom had somehow gotten reinforcements.

And, on top of all of those problems, Iroh was getting angrier by the day. He was sick of looking at the wall, sick of the Earth Kingdom and sick of the savages he fought. He too wanted to go home, back to "civilized people", back to his own race.

Over the past year and a half, the leading commanders had watched the jolly old man's insidious transformation with dread and pride. He wasn't a kind, gentle soul anymore. He was a killer, a murderer. The commanders thought they would be happy the day Iroh was finally turned into a warrior. But the once heavenly Dragon now scared them. He scared them so much that there were no war meetings anymore; they all obeyed him without question.

Scared and impatient, they carried out Iroh's final order to end the siege once and for all.

There were eleven remaining bases positioned around the wall, built in a half circle a mile outside the western front. Iroh ordered that all troops be sent the three central bases for one final assault. All supplies and rations were taken and then the exterior outposts were abandoned.

The soldiers came in swarms, exactly what Iroh wanted. He wanted to overrun the city, he wanted a slaughter. He planned to put the blasting jelly (all of it) by the secondary wall and blow the stone barrier to rubble.

* * *

"Move faster!" Iroh ordered. The arrivals had to shuffle together quickly, afraid of the Dragon's wrath. Iroh didn't have the patience for anything less than obedience.

"Sir!" Iroh heard a familiar voice behind him. He turned around and saw the old Lieutenant, Zhao, saluting him.

"Oh Zhao. I haven't seen you in a while." Iroh saluted back.

"Sir. My troops are here. We have brought over two hundred barrels of blasting jelly."

"Two hundred barrels? How did you ever get so much?"

"We were the station furthest from the wall. We never got a chance to use our supplies."

"Well…then you won't mind being the platoon who brings it to the wall." Iroh said.

"Of course not sir." Zhao was surprised that Iroh didn't crack a joke or offer him some tea. Zhao noticed that the elder's gentle eyes were replaced by steely balls of fire.

"Take the 212th platoon as well."

"As you wish sir."

"Good. Now get going." Iroh ordered Zhao and the Lieutenant left.

Iroh's old self would have heard the little voice in his head reminding him about Zhao. But, after years of death, years of hearing the screams of other warriors dying and suffering, Iroh thought the gentle voice was weak.

* * *

Before leading the final march, Iroh ran into his room to grab his binoculars. He didn't want to miss the explosion.

When he turned around, Lu Ten was standing at his door.

"What are you doing here?" Iroh asked. "Why aren't you with your troop?"

"I…just wanted to see you dad." Lu Ten grinned. Iroh didn't smile back. "This is really it, isn't it? We're going to win today!"

Iroh walked passed Lu Ten. "Go back to your troop! I have work to do."

Lu Ten felt his heart break a little, but he knew his father was under a lot of stress. Besides, if they succeeded and broke through the wall, then they would finally get to go home.

"Then things will go back to normal…" Lu Ten told himself as he marched. He marched towards a brighter future.

* * *

Within an hour, Zhao finished setting up all the blasting jelly barrels. Lu Ten's troop, along with five other platoons helped him set everything. The earth benders did little to stop the soldiers; when they realized that they couldn't do anything about the jelly, they all retreated.

The Fire Nations troops ran back behind the safety line and put on their helmets.

"Ready?" Iroh yelled as he ran behind the line himself.

"Yes sir." Zhao held up the fuse. "We merely wait for your action."

Iroh looked at the fuse, then back at the wall and smiled. He snapped his fingers the fuse lit. The spark on the string raced across the burned fields like a lightning bolt.

"We have only a few seconds. Cover your ears." Zhao warned everyone. Each troop put their hands on their ears and braced themselves…except Iroh, who took out his binoculars and watched the fuse travel over the charred farmlands. He greedily followed it, eager to see the explosion, eager to hear the sound of victory over the Earth Kingdom.

Then, out of the corner of his eyes, Iroh saw something. One soldier was still on the field.

"What is that?" He switched the view on his binoculars, enhancing his vision. "Oh my god!" Iroh's heart exploded. He saw Lu Ten running away from the wall as fast as he could. "LU TEN IS STILL DOWN THERE!" Iroh jumped up but was quickly pulled down by the other commanders. "LET ME GO!"

"Sir, the wall is going to blow any second!" Major Xing struggled to hold Iroh down.

"STOP!" Iroh blasted Xing with a wave of flames, burning him, and ran out onto the field.

"General! Come back!" The commanders yelled.

"LU TEN!" Iroh screamed. "RUN SON! RUN!"

Iroh's final words to his son were overpowered by a deafening blast and a brilliant flash of light. Iroh was thrown backwards as a mighty gust of wind poured out from the wall. Then there was a horrible crumbling noise and the wall began to collapse.

Iroh pulled himself up and looked out at the field. He got one last look at his son before seeing a huge piece of the wall come tumbling down on top of him.

"LU TEN!" Iroh screamed at the top of his lungs as a wave of wild dust consumed the rest of the Fire Nation army.

Iroh froze. Everything in his world went silent.

Then he heard the sound of his soldiers cheering. Some of them ran up to Iroh and patted him on his back, not realizing what had happened.

At first, Iroh didn't cry. He didn't believe that it was real. But as the dust cleared, reality came crashing down on him and everything in his mind shattered all at once. A river of tears began pouring from his eyes before he even consciously began to weep.

"General! We did it! General?" One of the men tried to congratulate him, but Iroh was on his knees, covering his face with his hands. "General Iroh. What's wrong?" Iroh didn't respond. He sobbed wildly, twitching and hyperventilating.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's charge the city!" General Shu shouted and the rest cheered.

"NO!" Iroh screamed over them. "Get out to the field! Find him! Find Lu Ten! He could still be alive if we hurry! Go! Go out and dig him up!"

The troops froze, finally knowing why their hero cried.

"Don't listen to him!" General Shu spoke up again. "Look! Ba Sing Se is right there! We can still win the day!"

The soldiers glanced at each other, not knowing who to listen to.

"Please." Iroh wept into the palms of his hands. "Please…go out there and find my son!" Iroh whined, helpless. He crawled through the dust cloud around the soldier's ankles, begging them to take piety on him.

"He's deleterious!" General Shu yelled. "Go! Charge the city!"

The men looked at the hole in the wall, paused for a moment, then ran to the rubble to find their fallen comrade despite General Shu's shouting.

Not one fire nation solider entered the city that night.


	45. By The Grace of God, Go I

**Song Fic. Flogging Molly's "By The Grace of God, Go I"**

**It's a Tearjerker! But it's also has an important lesson about war.**

* * *

**By The Grace of God, Go I**

**_Lookin' down through a tide of no return  
Is a field where the crops no longer grow  
Parched is the land, strangled an' be damned  
There, by the Grace Of God, Go I_**

Weeping like a baby, Iroh stood over the corpse of his son. The troops tried to clean him, but they could only do so much. Lu Ten's body was not beautiful or peaceful when he laid to rest, but scarred and swollen. Iroh put his hands on his boy's face, wishing that he'd stand up and say something. The chilling touch of a cold corpse was all Iroh felt.

"Iroh…" One of the men in Lu Ten's platoon put his hand on Iroh's shoulder. Iroh patted the young man's hand and stepped away from the altar, where his son's body rested.

"Lu Ten…son of Iroh…you were our great alley throughout the entire siege." The most religious of the soldiers gave the eulogy. Lu Ten's body would not have lasted if they kept him to be burned in the Fire Nation, so they held his funeral in the center of the burnt farmlands they had conquered, where Lu Ten had fought only day earlier. "You were our friend through our journey…you were a brave fighter and you made the Fire Nation proud. May Agni bless you in the next life. We will never forget you Lu Ten. Be at peace now…and rest."

Two of Lu Ten's friends stepped in front of the boy's body. Simultaneously, they shot fire on his flammable robes and let him smolder, allowing his ashes to slowly rise to the heavens. Iroh felt an urge to get up and stop them, thinking that they were burning any chance they had of saving Lu Ten, but he forced himself to remain seated. He repeated told himself that there was nothing left her could do…except mourn.

**_Down beside where the riverbed sleeps  
Is a man not knowin' what he should feel  
Mocked by the wave that beats the water's edge  
There, by the Grace Of God, Go I_**

The other commanders took control of the siege, but they were not as effective as Iroh. The distraught prince spent the next day in his room, refusing to let even light inside. He cried for hours at a time, only leaving his quarters to get food or water. Once, thirsty, he left his room to get a drink and he dipped his finger in the water bucket. The waves reminded him of the time he brought Lu Ten to the beach for a family vacation years ago. That once fond memory now only brought Iroh more tears.

**_If I ever hurt another like thee again  
I would drown myself beneath your name_**

"Iroh!" One of the commanders yelled to him. "Iroh!" He slammed his fist on Iroh's door, begging him to come out. "General Iroh, the other commanders are dead! The Dai Lee have returned, we don't know what to do. Please! General! We need an order."

Iroh pulled himself out of his bed and wiped his eyes clean. He slowly walked to the door, like a zombie, moving without thought or any real purpose. He stepped out of his quarters and looked at the commander with eyes that could only be worn a parent who had lost their child.

"Iroh?" The commander did not recognize the Dragon in such a state.

"Enough." Iroh wept. "Send the children home."

"What do you mean sir?"

"I mean…all of those boys out there…they are someone else's children. So many have died…all because of me."

"Iroh! I know that the loss of you son was horrible, but we need to…"

"Surrender. We retreat and go home. I will not have another son's death on my hands."

"Surrender! But sir…"

"Do not question your general! Or your prince. I am still in charge. And if I say 'surrender'…what do you tell the troops?

The commander look stunned, but bowed, respecting the general's orders.

**_Lost was the child, we all once did hide_**

Iroh finally heard the voice again. But this time the voice wasn't a strange, spiritual urge that spoke to him as a motivator. It was the voice of his son, haunting him. Iroh kept hearing Lu Ten's voice and kept thinking of the last things he said to him, how he thought that the war was too important to just say hello to his boy. Iroh would have given anything, everything to bring his son back.

**_There, by the Grace Of God…_**

But Iroh knew that there was nothing he could do.

**_There, by the Grace Of God… _**

He broke his promise to Meng Ha. He was responsible for Lu Ten's death.

And as punishment…he was now alone.

**_There, by the Grace Of God, Go I_**


	46. Letters to the Family

**Letters to the Family**

Little Zuko ran through the royal courtyard, running from Azula. Fire Lady Ursa watched him, carefully making sure that he didn't trip and fall down.

Just when the day seemed to be too perfect to last, a messenger approached Ursa with black stripped scroll. Ursa opened it and her happy expression slowly turned into that of sorrow. A single tear dripped down her face. Zuko noticed his mother's crying and slowly walked next to her.

"Iroh has lost his son. Your cousin, Lu Ten…did not survive the battle." Ursa lowered her head.

Zuko's jaw dropped. Part of his innocent mind didn't believe what had happened.

* * *

Simultaneously, another scroll was sent to Ozai's room. Marked with a black and gold strip, meaning that he and _only _he may read it, a nervous servant delivered the present to him. Ozai snatched it out of his hands and ordered him to leave.

Ozai read it carefully.

_Master Ozai,_

_Lu Ten is dead, as you ordered. A rock over the head and he was out cold. The battlefield was so hectic no one noticed that we left him behind. He woke up, but was killed before he could reach the other troops. I watched him die._

_As you desired, Iroh's bloodline has been cut off. I will be expecting my reward and promotion when I return home_

_-_ _Lieutenant Zhao_

Ozai smiled. His plan to take Iroh's birthright from him was well underway. Still holding the letter, Ozai ignited his hand into balls of flames. His smile widened as he watched his brother's name burn on the scroll.


	47. Dethroned

**Dethroned**

Though shamed by surrender, the 212th Naval had finally come home. While most of the men were happy to be returning to their families after being away for almost two years, they all felt the sting of defeat in their hearts.

They sympathized with Iroh and most understood why he ordered the surrender, but none of them looked at the Dragon like they used to. He _was_ their hero, the champion of the entire nation. That image of him had vanished, along with all hopes the Fire Nation had of defeating Ba Sing Se. Now. It was impossible to see past his failure.

The ship was at sea for a month, a month of regretting and dreaming and wishing things had turned out differently, before finally pulling into the docks of their home country. But the soldiers did not receive the warm welcome they had all envisioned. Instead of banners and cheering crowds, they had supplies waiting to be unloaded and orders to follow as if it were any other day.

After their choirs were done, they were allowed to clean out their bunks and leave. Of course, Lu Ten's bunk was left alone. No one claimed his supplies. No one dared touch them. No one wanted to unearth the pain they felt from remembering their fallen brother. The men didn't want to relive those feelings. They all just wanted to go home.

* * *

Iroh was the very last person to get off the ship. He didn't step off the vessel proudly, like a hero. He was hunched over and walked crooked, struggling to go down the ship's ramp. He had neglected to take care of his beard and hair during the voyage; his topknot was barely tied and his beard was stringy, like a beggar's. His once fiery eyes were now worn out from waterfalls of many tears.

During the voyage home, he did not leave his room. Food and water were brought to him. He kept his lights off for most of the journey and he did not exercise, laugh or speak to more than a few words at a time.

Iroh's solitude consumed him. His mind, cleared. Throughout the voyage, three thoughts continuously replayed in Iroh's mind. Those thoughts continued to haunt him even as he stepped back onto Fire Nation soil.

The first thought…was the idea that his rash actions were the cause of his son's death.

"It's…my fault." Iroh whispered to himself as he walked through the docks. He walked past the politicians and military leaders who had come to greet him, not even looking at them as he walked by. "It's all…may fault." Iroh repeated. He didn't care if he appeared rude to those around him.

The second thought…was that of his etiquette. The manners he was taught, the fighting styles he memorized, all of the social rules he was forced to follow. None of it mattered. It took the death of his son to realize how meaningless his life had been, how swallow he was even when he thought he was doing the right thing. But Iroh all of it. He was told that his way of life was the best way to live. His father told him that, his master and friends told him that and Iroh told himself that his life had always been in the right. He swallowed it all and believed it like a good slave to the system, not caring about anything but the way _he _perceived things.

Even more disturbing than that was how Iroh had _believed_ in the concept of war.

Each side had their own heroes, but the side _you_ are on are always the good guys. Everyone else is the enemy. When you're not at war, strangers are your enemies, even if they live next door to you. During the siege, Iroh believed the Earth Kingdom was his enemy. He didn't know what to believe now, but it sickened him to know that he killed so many earth kingdom soldiers, that he heard them scream and still took their lives, that he took away the sons of other parents who were probably suffering as right now.

Iroh did not know what he was going to do with his life now that his son was gone. Lu Ten was the one thing that kept him going after his wife died. But over the month at sea, as he had nothing to do but think, the third thought came into Iroh's head.

Iroh still had his throne. He still had his country. If he could pull himself together, he could redirect his people in a totally different direction and end all the bloodshed. He thought that if he started soon, he would be able to end at the war completely! He felt incomparable pain from Lu Ten's death and didn't want anyone else to go through the suffering he endured, whether it be from the loss of a son, brother, husband or friend.

When Iroh saw the palace, for the first time in months he felt some hope. Even though he was still mourning, he didn't feel as helpless as he used to, knowing that he would soon have a chance to change the fate of the world.

"General Iroh." A servant approached Iroh before he could enter the city limits. He had with him a scroll in his hands. "This is for you." The man ran swiftly away immediately after presenting Iroh with the letter.

Iroh unrolled the scroll and read through the ink letter carefully.

_-Prince Iroh, we, the delegates of the Fire Nation Grand Council, regret to inform you that, during you siege at Ba Sing Se, your father passed away. The funeral was held a week prior to the day this letter was written._

_Unfortunately, your father's last request was that Ozai succeed him on the throne, not you. We are sorry to present you with such news so shortly after your son's death._

_But Fire Lord Ozai would personally like to welcome you home. He is very eager to greet you in **his **throne room. You may see him whenever you get a chance.-_

…and suddenly, hope had disappeared again.


	48. Leaving

**Leaving**

He was burned at Ba Sing Se. His ashes were gathered and given to his father, as both a responsibility and a burden. Over a month after his death, he was finally buried in his home, on a rainy day where the sun dare not show its face.

Iroh, the _former_ prince, decided to bury Lu Ten's ashes under the same tree where he met Meng Ha so many years ago, on top of the hill overlooking the city. The Dragon held Lu Ten's funeral alone. He did not want anyone to see him cry.

"My beloved Lu Ten…" Iroh bowed his head and kept his eyes closed. "…I will see you again."

* * *

Iroh struggled to put his pack on the saddle of his Ostrich-horse. The animal grunted when Iroh finally got the bag tied down.

"Come on you stupid beast!" Iroh yelled at the creature. "Can't you do anything!"

Iroh then sighed, realizing how stupid he must have looked, arguing with an Ostrich-horse. He was really angry with himself.

The sun hit his eyes and, while trying to cover his face, he glanced back at the palace and felt disgust at the mere sight of it. He was sick of it all; the riches, all the promises that royalty "_guaranteed_". Everything he was supposed to have, even his birthright, was a lie too him. And now, with his son resting, he had no reason to stay.

Just before Iroh could climb onto the saddle, he was stopped by a young voice calling out to him.

"Uncle! Wait, Uncle! Don't go!" Iroh turned around. For a moment, Iroh thought his own son running towards him, but he blinked twice and saw little Zuko running up the hill.

"Zuko! What are you doing here? You know you are not supposed to leave the palace."

"Why are you leaving!" Zuko ignored his Uncle's remark.

"Zuko…" Iroh put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. "…this isn't something I'd expect you to understand."

"Why not?" The boy's mind was screaming with questions that craved answers, but his young mind did not have the words or the courage to properly articulate them.

"Because…because…" Iroh sighed. "Listen…you are the prince now. You can't just go traveling off where ever you want. You need to stay here. You have a responsibility to your countrymen and your family."

"_You're_ my family too!"

"Zuko…I have to leave. One day you will understand."

"Understand what?" The young prince's confusion began to turn to anger.

"Understand what it feels like…to want to change things that are in the past." Iroh looked down at the ground. He heard Zuko begin to sniffle and pant, preludes to tears. Iroh bent down and hugged his nephew, squeezing him tightly, knowing that it would be a very long time till he could hug him again. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"Then don't go!" Zuko whimpered. Iroh ignored his plea. He stepped away from his nephew and got on his Ostrich-horse. "No! Wait!"

Iroh looked down at Zuko and softly said, "Do what you can, Zuko."

And then his Ostrich-horse began to gallop away.

Zuko watched Iroh leave and began to sob uncontrollably. Iroh heard him crying…but told himself that it was just the wind and kept on riding.


	49. Peasant

**Peasant**

"How much is this?" The buyer asked.

"Four copper pieces."

"What? Four copper pieces for a piece of fruit? That's absurd!"

"It's an import. All the way from the capital city."

"…you're lying."

"No, I mean it. This is from a garden that was appraised and blessed by the Fire Lord himself! Well, Fire Lord Azulon I mean. Back when he was alive."

"Really?"

"I mean it."

"But still, four copper pieces is…"

"I'll give it to you for three."

"Deal." Both men exchanged items. "If you have an imported fruit, you must have heard some _things_ from the capital city then?"

"What? You mean about Fire Lord Ozai's new policies? I tell ya, he's even more ruthless than his father was."

"No, no. I meant about Iroh."

"Oh! The _former_ prince. No one has heard from him, not in months."

"The details are still kinda of fuzzy. What exactly happened to him?"

"His heart broke when his son died. He was humiliated by both his defeat at Ba Sing Se and his birthright taken away. So he turned tail and ran, too ashamed of himself. I heard that he stole a huge sack of the palace's gold and now he's living the good life somewhere under a false name and everything."

"What a shame. You know, I remember my father telling me stories about meeting Iroh when he was a young man…"

"Really?"

"Yep. He would tell me, over and over,…'this nation is going to change, for the better, when Iroh becomes Fire Lord'. Now look what happened. A thief, a coward and a loser. I looked up to him as the nation's greatest hero, and he turned out to be a rat."

"Who would have known?" The merchant shook his head.

"Yep. I do feel a little sorry for him…when I heard his kid died, I mean." The buyer looked down at his feet. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a dirty beggar man sleeping near the edge of a back ally of one of the shops. "Hey, how much for another fruit? Not an import, just a regular one."

"Just one copper piece."

"Give me one of those too." The merchant and buyer exchanged again. "Thanks." The buyer approached the peasant and tapped him on his shoulder. The bum grunted before rolling over.

"Hey. Buddy."

"Mmm…yes?" The former prince, now homeless, asked as he slowly opened his eyes, still sleepy.

"Here. Take this." The buyer gave Iroh the fruit, not knowing who it was underneath the inch of dirt on his once clean skin.

"Oh! Thank you so much." Iroh graciously accepted the gift. He had not eaten in two days.

"No problem. Just…stay out of trouble."

"I promise." Iroh smiled through his shaggy beard. The man left him and Iroh inhaled the fruit. He did not care about manners or who was watching; he knew that he had no one left to impress.

It seemed like a lifetime had passed since Lu Ten died and Iroh had left the palace. After he ran out of food and money, he sold his ostrich-horse for gold, then his supplies, then his extra clothes. Before he realized it, he had to choose between sleeping in a cozy bed or eating at all. And now, after over five months of wandering, he had become what he always had been so fascinated with…a peasant. A low level commoner. No one knew him, no one recognized him, and no one helped him.

Finally, he understood why it truly meant to be helpless. Every day, people passed him and didn't even notice he was there. He was a ghost, like his son, except Iroh could still feel the sting of mortality.

Yet he refused to go home. The road ahead of him was still long, but Iroh would not turn back, not until he saw his son again.

Back when he was a boy, he heard a story of a magical place. It was the only place in the world that could have enough spiritual energy to allow him to see his boy again. One place, far away…in the heart of the Earth Kingdom. Ironically enough, the country where his son was killed would be the land Iroh hoped to be reunited with him.

"_Perhaps his spirit will still be there._" Iroh told himself that when he would try to go to sleep, closing his eyes in the gutters of the towns he used to dream of ruling over.

He finished eating. Iroh's stomach growled for more, even after the fruit was gone. Iroh wasn't suffering from mere hunger anymore. He was beginning to starve. He reached into his pocket, feeling the filled coin bag hidden under his the robe. He constantly had to argue with his instincts. They screamed at him, begging to spend some of the gold on food. But Iroh always denied them their desires. He knew that fare to the Earth Kingdom would be expensive. The small pouch of gold was the exact amount he needed to pay the fairy. He need to save it, he had to!

So he forced himself to live in such a way; begging, walking everywhere, guarding the hidden bag of coins where ever he went. Every now and then he would steal some scraps off a stranger's plate, but he usually went to sleep hungry. His suffering was great, and Iroh believed that he deserved to suffer.

Yet, even far away from it, Iroh could feel the sea tugging at his heart. The voice had returned and, once again, it called to him. It moved his feet when his own spirit was weak. And it told him to keep going. So not having anyone else to listen to or any other reason to go on, Iroh let the voice carry him forward.


	50. Travels of an Old Man II

**Travels of an Old man II**

Iroh leaned over the side of the boat, staring at the rippling waves as they smacked against the ship's hull.

Two weeks prior, he finally reached the Fire Nation docks. He had spent several days at sea by now. The trip came with meals and a bed, restoring Iroh to the energetic person he once was. But, with his instincts satisfied, his guilt scream at him louder than ever. He could see his reflection in the water and only noticed the parts of his face that Lu Ten had inherited. His beard, his cheekbones, his lips mirrored back at him on the rippling water, as if the ocean was blaming him as well.

No one had noticed that the former prince had gotten aboard the vessel. Iroh's clothes had become so dark and dirty that he was perfectly disguised as an Earth Kingdom colonist. Hidden among the other lower class citizens of Ozai's kingdom, Iroh was a stranger. A ghost. A lost face with no titles or reputation. He felt free, the same kind of freedom that one feels when they have nothing left to loose…which was why Iroh was embarking on such a long journey.

He had nothing. No kingdom, no family, no friends. Like the bird that had flown far in the wrong direction, Iroh was lost.

* * *

**Short one, I know. But I'm going to double-post soon. 2 stories today because I'm going away on vacation tomorrow and I don't know when I'll be back. See ya in California!**


	51. The Swamp Pt 1

**The Swamp - Pt. 1**

* * *

…_he claims to be searching to find his son. But on the way...he will instead find himself…_

* * *

Finally, after over half a year of traveling, Iroh had reached his destination. The Swamp. It had no name, no real importance. Few cartographers even drew it on their maps. Those who had heard of its mystic powers were too scared to enter it, so Iroh had to find the gigantic bog himself.

Iroh did not know what to expect, but after hearing legends of people who had returned from the depths of the misty forest, stories of ghosts and wandering spirits and even of trees that moved and attacked people, Iroh had expected something more than just dirty mud and a few loud birds.

Disappointed, Iroh ventured through The Swamp anyway, hoping to reach the center of it. He figured that that would be the best place to seek a wandering spirit.

But as he traveled deeper into the heart of thick woods, the sicker he felt. Disgusting sounds bubbled out of the mud as Iroh clumsily wadded through it. The air was thick and smelt so putrid that Iroh could barely stand it.

"Thank goodness I have nothing in my stomach. Otherwise, I would have thrown up by now." Iroh joked to himself.

_Ha-ha-ha._

Iroh spun around and quickly raised his fists. He swore that he heard someone laugh, someone right behind him. But there was nothing there. Heart pounding, Iroh kept going. There was nowhere else to go.

* * *

Iroh had camped a mile outside of The Swamp the prior before. He timed his entry with the sun, penetrating the outside of the forest just as it was rising. But inside The Swamp, Iroh could not tell where the sun was. The canopy of the muggy jungle was so thick that only little rays of light shinned through the tall trees.

"Wonderful." Iroh said sarcastically. "I don't know how long I have been walking, but I hope I am getting to the center soon."

Iroh did not talk to himself often. He only did so because he was so sure that someone was watching him. He felt eyes on him, could sense the glares of some unseen entity. Whoever it was (spirit or human or something else), Iroh swore that he could hear him as well.

Iroh forced himself to ignore his fear. He was not leaving The Swamp until he got what he came for.

* * *

Hours had passed.

Iroh stopped. He could not move. He remained motionless for a few moments, awestruck, staring at the giant tree that stood before. The palace and the wall of Ba Sing Se were the only things Iroh had seen that were bigger. Because of its great size and obvious health, Iroh concluded that the tree must have been the center of The Swamp. He gathered his mind and proceeded to climb the giant roots.

_Ha-ha-ha_

Iroh heard the mysterious voice laugh at him again, but he did not stop climbing.

_…you will not find him…_

Iroh looked over his shoulder and again saw nothing, but he felt that something was there, mocking him. Sweat dripped down his brow, from the exercise and the ominous sensation coursing through his heart.

Eventually, he reached a good spot on top of one thick root. The tree's bark was smooth, like it had been sanded and smoothed by someone's hand. He stood up and, after taking a deep breath, screamed into the air.

"SPIRITS!"

"_SPIRITS…SPIRIts…SPIrits…Spirits…spirits…"_ Iroh's voice echoed over the vast swap.

"Where is my son? Why have I suffered so? Why was I born into such a family? Is my life nothing more than a game to you? I want answers! I have traveled far and I have gone through too much! I deserve to know! Now tell me…WHY?

"_WHY…WHy…Why…why…"_

Only Iroh's echoed answered him.

"Fine!" Iroh sat down, crossed his legs, and looked up at the sky. "I'm not leaving this spot till you give me an answer! AN ANSWER! I don't want to feel an urge…or see a metaphor…or have to meditate and figure it out myself! You have to tell me! If it is a bad answer, fine! If you want me to suffer further, fine! If I should die here…that's fine too! But you have to tell me! Tell me what I have to do!"

Iroh closed his eyes and breathed. His patience had been pushed to its limit, but he had enough left to last till the Spirits told him what he wanted…or till he starved to death. Either way would have been fine with him. Either way, Iroh's suffering would end.

* * *

**To Be Continued**


	52. The Swamp Pt 2

I've returned! And I have new stories to post.

**The Swamp - Pt. 2**

* * *

…_for one does not find themselves through rewards and success…but through suffering and patience…_

* * *

Iroh's stomach yelled at him, but he did not move. The heat from the intense humidity irritated his skin, but he stayed firmly planted at the base of the tree. He did not know how long he had been sitting in the heart of the swamp, but the sun that was once beating brightly on his skin had set. Now the cool sheet of night enveloped him.

All kinds of horrifying sounds echoed from the trees and vines. Creatures moved gently through the bushes and puddles. Fear and instinct tried to coax him to run away, but Iroh remained motionless. His heart pounded and his body was in pain, from hunger, sun burn, exhaustion, dread and cold…but Iroh refused to leave.

* * *

Hours passed. The sun rose, but Iroh did not see its beauty. The rising sun only told him that another day had gone by. The voice in Iroh's head did not call to him, did not call him a murderer or uplift him or tell him that the world around him was beautiful. He heard nothing but his own suffering.

He felt hunger scrape the inside of his round belly and saw his vision blur from the heat. Water surrounded him, but he had not had any of it to drink. He could not sweat anymore, having no water inside him. For once, he did not care about his hunger. His thirst was far more painful.

Iroh's eyelids flickered up and down. He slowly lowered his head, over powered by exhaustion.

Creeek…SMASH!

Iroh jumped. To his right, a thick branch had fallen from high above him. A small pool of water had gathered inside the empty branch and was dripping out of the broken bark. Iroh smiled and reached for it, but it was just out of his reach.

Iroh lifted one leg, ready to move from his spot, but stopped himself.

"No." Iroh said out loud. "You will not trick me that easily." Iroh sat up straight and looked away from the dripping water. "I am not moving." He did not look at the branch, not even after he heard the last drop fall away from him.

Then Iroh lowered his head, and was consumed by suffering again.

* * *

Another night came. More horrible sounds haunted Iroh. For hours, they screamed and shrieked and kept Iroh awake. Exhausted, Iroh wanted to sleep, even with the nightmarish monsters that surrounded him, but the demons' did not allow him to close his eyes for more than a few seconds.

"BE QUIET!" Iroh yelled after hours of tortures sleep deprivation.

…_Prince_…

One of the monstrous sounds turned into a voice. Iroh's spine shivered.

…_hahaha…fallen Prince…_

"Who is there?" Iroh recognized the voice.

…_you are nothing…_

"Ozai? Is that…no! I am just hallucinating."

… _you will never see your boy again…_

"Stop it!" Iroh held his ears, but the voice mocked him still.

…_you don't have anything to live for. Why not end it right now?…_

"GO AWAY!" Iroh roared at the top of his lungs…

…and the voice left. Iroh paused for a few minutes, rattled, but the swamp was dead again, as noisy as a graveyard at night. Iroh's heartbeat was the only sound heard.

Iroh buried his face in the palms of his hands and screamed into them. No words, just a rage-filled shout. He wanted to cry, but his body did not have enough water to produce tears.

* * *

Another day.

Iroh could barely keep his eyes open. He could not feel his feet or fingers. His stomach was still round, but he felt insanity clutch his mind.

Tired, hungry and almost dead from thirst, Iroh felt his consciousness slip over and over again. One random thought merged into another and Iroh could not tell which vision was a dream and which was his own perception.

With eyes dried and his vision blurred, Iroh looked down at his hands. The skin on his palms was crisp and red, his nails dark and brown. His thin fingers shook like an old man's hands, racked with pain.

He tried to speak but his tongue was dry like a withered limb, useless. He could only gasp in quick breaths of air and yawn every so often. His cracked lips, his teeth and gums were so sore that they felt like they were bleeding. Nothing but pain flooded through his body.

Iroh looked up at the sky, towards the shinning sun. It blinded him but did not hurt his eyes. The light destroyed his vision, burned his mind, but he did not look away.

…_father…_

Iroh heard Lu Ten call out to him, at last. Iroh forced his hand towards the fiery ball in the heavens and grunted, trying to shout back to his son.

…_father…please turn back…_

Iroh choked on his tongue as it fell back in his throat, but he raised his arm higher.

…_please father…_

Iroh heard the voice of Lu Ten beg him to go away. He did not know if it was really his son or another demon. He did not know if the spirits were testing him again. He did not know if the voice was even real or if it was inside his head. But Iroh did not put his hand down.

"…n…" The prince struggled to speak. "…no…"

The other voice did not answer back.

Iroh felt the wind blow around him, dance around his raised arm and loosened robe. A thick cloud moved in front of the bright sun, hiding Iroh in a blanket of cool darkness. The sounds of the wild animals in the woods stopped; all at once, the world was quiet.

Iroh's head lowered and waited, lost between day dreams and consciousness. The great pain that plagued his body began to lessen. Bit by bit, Iroh stopped feeling the pain in his stomach…then feeling all together.

Iroh laughed once. His fingers were bleeding, but he could not feel the blood leave his body. He could not feel anything…except cold. The cold breeze that enveloped him was warmer than his skin.

Iroh was dying.

And he knew he was dying. He felt the same lifeless cold when his wife passed on into the next world. He could never forget the empty, icy sensation that marked the last few minutes of her existence.

Iroh's fingers went numb, then his feet, then his knees. His stomach stopped growling and his lungs stopped aching. His heart began to slow down.

"…I'm…tired…" Iroh said. Finally, after three days of sitting firmly in place, Iroh lay down and placed his head on his hands.

His back and arms were the next things to shut down. Iroh felt his mind collapsing as well. He saw memories flash before him and then vanish into nothing. He saw the wall of Ba Sing Se, learning fire bending, his favorite tea pot. He saw Ozai when he was an innocent boy, he saw his old books, he saw the sun set outside his window. He remembered when he met Meng Ha and when Lu Ten was born and when he first saw Zuko.

He saw the ocean. The vast, endless ocean. Even as his soul was pulled out of his body, the sea still enchanted him. And then he saw himself as an old man sailing across blue waves, an image that he used to dream about when he was young and foolish. That dream, the one he hoped was not only practical but possible, would never come true. Iroh thought of all he didn't do as he lost feeling in his neck and jaw.

Iroh felt his eyes weaken, though in his mind's eye he could only see the sea…and his wife…and his son. He saw Lu Ten reach out to him, as if to help him leave the mortal world. With his last ounce of strength, Iroh reawakened his limp arm and held it out towards the delirious vision.

Iroh swore that he felt Lu Ten take his hand and pull, but before he could be moved…Iroh felt his heart stop. And it did not start again. The cold consumed him. And then…there was nothing. No pain, no suffering, no desire…just peace.

* * *

…_he wished to dwell beside the spirits…and he got his wish…_

…_but the death is only the beginning…_

* * *

**The story is not over. Trust me.**


	53. The Spirit World

**The Spirit World**

Peace.

Serene, enlightened peace.

That was the only thing that Iroh could feel. He could not feel his limbs or his head or even his once beating heart. Finally…his suffering had ended.

"Iroh." A voice called to him. Iroh figured that it was someone in the mortal realm, perhaps looking for his withered corpse.

"Iroh!" Again the voice called, but Iroh did not answer. Without saying a word, he acknowledged that he could do anything. He was dead, and he was tired.

"Wake up you fat pig!" **THUD!**

"OW!" Iroh yelled as some kicked him in his stomach. "_Pain?_" Iroh thought. "_Am I not dead?_" Iroh jumped to his feet. "Who is there?" Iroh shouted.

"Behind you, you oaf."

Iroh spun around but did not see anyone. He looked both ways, confused.

"Down here!"

Iroh looked down and gasped. A tiny, human-like creature stood between his big toes. It had dark gray skin, pointed ears and very, very thin arms. Its feet were long and all of its toes and fingers had thin claws that looked as sharp and shinny as any sword. He wore a blue and white robe around his neck and shoulders, but an ugly, round belly protruded from his tiny body. He carried a long scythe in his arms that should have been too heavy for him to carry, but the little thing grasped the weapon it with ease.

"Who…what…" Iroh suddenly noticed the ends of his toes were bright blue. And so was the rest of his body. All of him was transparent, cold and blue like the sky. On the verge of losing his mind, Iroh spun around and saw…himself! His corpse lay at the base of the same tree, motionless and void of life.

"Hellooooo!" The impatient creature called to Iroh. "Look, we have to hurry!"

"What is going on?" Iroh yelled and then grabbed his throat. His voice was split, full of echoes.

"Duh! Isn't it obvious? You died." The sprite said bluntly.

"WHAT?" Iroh took a step backwards onto his dead body, but he walked through the corporal carcass instead of tripping over it.

"Oh, here we go again!" The small being rolled its blood red eyes. "All of you Fire Nation are the same. You all think that you are soooo tough and then OH! Big surprise, you die. And then I have to explain to you the whole 'life-after-death' thing and it only means more work for me."

The small sprite went on and on, complaining for a few more minutes about things Iroh did not understand. Curious, Iroh stepped forward to get a better look at him. Iroh had never seen such a unique animal, if it even was an animal. But no sooner did Iroh move closer did the creature noticed him and, immediately, grew defensive.

"What are you looking at?" The creature climbed onto the end of his scythe, balanced on the teeny tip, sharp edge of the blade and confronted Iroh face-to-face. Iroh noticed that the weapon was balancing on its thin wooden pole, like there was an invisible hand holding it in place.

"Um…what are you?" Iroh asked.

"What? What? Oh, so you think that just because I'm a demon that means you don't need to use manners, huh?" The oversensitive aberration kept complaining. "Rudeness! It must be a Fire Nation thing."

"Okay…" Iroh felt very awkward. "What is your name?"

"Yeah. Take an interest now." The spirit jumped back down to the ground and his scythe flew into his hands. "My name is Ping. I'm a death spirit."

"Are you…" Iroh gulped. "…going to reap my soul?"

"As much as I would like to…and believe me I would, Dragon of the West…"

"What did I do?" Iroh asked, shocked.

"Pff. As if you don't know. You killed…I don't know how many Earth Kingdom soldiers and civilians. I had to pull triple shifts during your siege at Ba Sing Se. There were so many funerals that week you blew up the first wall…you're a 'grade A' psycho, ya know that?"

Iroh hung his head. Even in the afterlife, his reputation caught up with him.

"Wait. Then…what will become of my soul?" Iroh asked.

Ping sighed. "I have orders to take you to one of the prestigious levels. Someone in the higher spirits want to speak with you."

"Levels? What are you talking about?"

"Look, I don't have time to explain everything. You only have one hour to come back to life."

"Wait, I'm still alive?"

"NO! Haven't you been listening to me!" Ping yelled at Iroh, like it was his fault for not understanding the complexities of the life-after. "…okay…look. Your spirit is out of your body right _now_. Okay? You have one hour to see the good spirits in the upper levels of the Spirit World. If you don't make it back to your body before the hour is up, then you will _stay _dead and then I'll the pleasure of dragging your sorry soul down to the underworld." Ping held his scythe near Iroh's neck. "Get it?"

"Got it." Iroh smiled, nervously.

"Good. Now follow me." Ping stepped towards the tree and walked up the trunk with just his tow feet, as if gravity did not exist. "Well, are you coming or not?"

"Oh. Yes." Iroh followed him. Rather than hesitate and make the sprite even angrier, Iroh ran towards the tree trunk. Iroh walked up towards the sky as if the vertical climb was as flat as the ground. He followed Ping past the top of the trees, then past the black clouds, then towards the sun.

Iroh was temporarily blinded by the intense light. He closed his eyes for one second, then felt a powerful force thrust him forward, like a wave had pushed him from behind.

When he opened his eyes he was standing on flat ground…in another swamp. The new swamp felt much different from the one on earth. The new swamp was covered in plants and puddles and he was surrounded by vines, like any old bog, but instead of sensing only a hint of spiritual energy Iroh felt an intoxicating, overwhelming aura all around him. Everything was alive, which was ironic, because he was, after all, dead…_'or something like that'_, Iroh thought to himself.

"Okay." Ping jumped on his scythe and crossed his arms. "Get going."

"What? Now?" Iroh was confused

"Tick-tock Dragon. We don't have a lot of time." Ping pointed in one random direction. "Head that way."

"How long do I have to go?"

Ping's face changed into a solemn, peaceful look. "…until you find what you are looking for." He said kindly. "…or until I come after you and drag your sorry ass into the frying pan downstairs. Now get moving!" Ping yelled and Iroh ran off, not knowing where to go.

* * *

**If any artists out there want to try draw Ping, that'd be awesome.**


	54. Reunited Again

**Warning! This is a long one, but I think it is my best chapter yet. I hope that everyone takes something from this story.**

* * *

**Reunited Again**

Iroh walked through the swamp of the spirit world like a baby walking through his home for the first time. He was unfamiliar with his surroundings, yet felt like he belonged there somehow.

Unlike the swamp on earth, Iroh could not phase through the solid objects of the Other World. He learned that when he tried to run face first into a tree and nearly broke his nose. Iroh didn't know if he _could_ break his nose as a ghost, but the tree defiantly hurt him so he didn't try that again. He also could not fire bend, but he didn't think that he would need it.

The Other side was what Iroh had expected. He had imagined his soul being deprived of all senses and knowledge, two burdens removed from existence. It may have been because he was not completely dead, but Iroh discovered that as a wandering soul he could think, that he retained his memories of his earth life and that he still felt guilty for all of the horrible things that he had done. He could hear, feel pain (Iroh rubbed his sore nose) and he could even smell in the spirit world.

"This swamp smells much better than the other swamp." Iroh said as he sniffed the air. "This swamp smells like…" Iroh hesitated and sniffed again. A familiar bell rang in his mind "…like…Jasmine Tea?"

Overjoyed, Iroh moved towards the aroma. It had been months since he had the privilege of sipping a cup of warm Jasmine.

He followed the scent to a small bamboo thicket. Iroh knocked down many bamboo trees to get to the delightful odor. Hidden in a clearing, in the center of the grove, there were two seats and a table waiting for him. Both stools and stand were finely crafted and polished. The teapot on the table began to screech just as Iroh's eyes spotted it, yet there was no fire burning underneath its porcelain belly.

"How nice…" Iroh stopped, suddenly realizing how suspicious everything seemed. He approached the teapot slowly and with great cautiously. "…hello?" Iroh yelled.

**Clunk**! One of the bamboo trees moved. Iroh turned around but didn't see anyone. Still, he felt like someone was there with him, watching him. He froze for a few more seconds, nervous.

"I knew I could draw you out with tea." A voice came from behind Iroh. Iroh did not see the speaker but knew who it was. A single tear dripped down his cheek when he felt a familiar hand fall on his shoulder.

"Lu Ten." He said as he wiped his eyes. Iroh grabbed his boy's hand and hugged him, finally holding his son again.

* * *

"Father, I told you not to come here." Lu Ten poured a fresh cup of tea for his thirsty father.

"You know that I am bad when it comes to following the rules." Iroh smiled. His hands were shaking, from both joy and shock, as he watched his dead son serve him tea.

"This place…" Lu Ten looked around him. He scanned the bamboo trees, as if watching for something dangerous. "…is not what I had thought the Other Side would be like."

Iroh looked around too but saw nothing. "I was surprised as well."

"Why did you come here father?" Lu Ten asked. Unlike Iroh, Lu Ten was not blue or transparent. He appeared to be flesh and blood. But Lu Ten's skin, his clothes, his hair looked richer in both color and tone, as well as the Fire Nation armor on his shoulders and chest. He looked peaceful and proud.

"I…" Iroh sipped from his tea cup and his eyes widened. "This is the greatest tea I have ever tasted! You must tell me the secret."

"Father." Lu Ten scolded him, like he was the parent and Iroh was the child. "Please don't change the subject. Why did you come here?"

Iroh sighed. He didn't say anything for a while. He had traveled far and gone through so much. He fasted, starved and died (sort of). Now, after so long, he finally found his son and wanted to say so many things to him but had only one hour, not enough time to express his deepest feelings, just enough ask his most important questions.

"…Lu Ten…" Iroh put his cup of tea down. "…do you hate me for what happened?" Iroh forced himself not to cry. "I cannot be forgiven for such a horrible thing?"

"Father…what happened to me was not your fault."

"Yes it was. Don't you see? If I had never gone to Ba Sing Se, you never would have come with me. If I hadn't put you on the front line, you never would have been in danger. And if I hadn't let my guard down and turned into that…that…_monster_… then you would still be alive. It was my hand that lit the fuse that took you away from me."

Lu Ten held his tea cup firmly in his hand and sipped gently out of it as Iroh spoke, patiently waiting for him to finish. When Iroh stopped, Lu Ten waited for a few moments, making sure his father said all he wanted to say.

"Father. Death is a part of life. And so is choice. You _chose _to go to Ba Sing Se, yes, but _I _chose to go as well. That was _my_ fault. You put me on the front line because you had faith in my skills and because of that choice I helped many others survive and endure until they were sent home. And you were not the only one who let their guard down on that fateful day. I did as well…and that is why _I_ am dead. It is not your fault father."

Iroh clasped his hand over his eyes, not able to hold back his tears any longer.

"I'm sorry Lu Ten." He hollered. "I'm sorry." Lu Ten waited for his father to finish. "I have…done so much…I've hurt so many people. I killed…oh spirits…I killed so many people!"

Iroh did not see Lu Ten move from his seat, but he felt his son's hand pat him on his shoulder. He was warm. Iroh was cold. The old man grabbed onto Lu Ten's arm and wept into his son's armor, overwhelmed by the demons that haunted his conscious every day.

"Father…" Lu Ten hugged him and kissed his forehead gently. "…be at peace."

"I cannot be forgiven. I can never forgive myself!" Iroh whimpered. "There is no magic or miracle that can reverse my crimes."

"That is true." Lu Ten said, frowning gently. "You can never take back the sins you have committed. Murder is one of the worst of evil deeds because there is no way to take it back. Whether you kill for good or for evil, there is no way to reverse death. Remember this when you reenter the human world Father."

"Then there is no hope for me." Iroh cried so hard that he felt like he was losing his mind.

"I did not say that Father." Lu Ten smiled again. Iroh hugged him, but he grabbed nothing but air. Magically, Lu Ten had reappeared back in his seat on the other side of the table. "I will tell you something important. But first you must calm yourself…and you must ask me the other questions you wish to have answered. Then I will tell you where hope for you lies."

Iroh sat straight again and wiped his eyes. It took him a few more minutes to stop stuttering, but he eventually got his tongue under control.

"Lu Ten…you seem…different." Iroh said. His son seemed wiser than any sage or king Iroh had ever met. Perhaps, Iroh thought, the richer colors on Lu Ten's body was actually his aura shinning more radiantly.

"I have learned much in the afterlife. I have spoken to many different spirits." Lu Ten's mouth did not raise or fall when he spoke. Emotions did not touch his face when he spoke of his wisdom, a sigh of his humility.

Iroh panted and released the last of his anxiety. He inhaled deeply and remembered the other things he wanted to discuss.

"It was not fair Lu Ten." Iroh said. "Your death…you were so young. Even if I had not killed you, how can anyone, spirit or mortal, justify a young dying so soon in his life.

Lu Ten answered quickly, knowing his answer long before Iroh asked it. "If I had not died at Ba Sing Se, I would have died in the Fire Nation. If I had not died young, then I would have died old. I was not drafted into the military, I joined. It was unfair that there was a war in my youth, yes, but _I_ still put _myself_ out on the battlefield. Father, please stop blaming yourself for something was my fault."

"I wanted to see you grow up Lu Ten." Iroh tried not to weep again. "I wanted to see you take a wife and help raise your children."

"That is a sweet sentiment, but it is still not something that anyone can guarantee. The prospect of having lots of time in this world is an attachment, a desire…and desire breeds…"

"Yes, yes, I know, I know!" Iroh interrupted his son, something he rarely did in life or death. "I have read the greater teachings of the wise men. My attachment to you was only an illusion." Iroh paused. "But you were a beautiful illusion, my son."

Lu Ten was speechless. His balanced mind was disrupted for only a moment, but he felt his father's love penetrate deep with him.

"And besides…" Iroh continued. "…Father's are not supposed to bury their sons.

"I know that people say that that is the worst pain of all, losing your child…" Lu Ten continued. "…but that is because you think that you are supposed die before me. You were told that you were supposed to be the prince and you believed it, which is why you felt such pain when you were denied that privilege. Life isn't supposed to be anything…it's just supposed to _be_. You are a smart man father, but even you fell for the false promises other offered…simply because they sounded nice. And, again, it is not your fault. It is not anyone's fault. You were tricked…you were lied to…but you already know that, don't you Father?"

"Then what can I do!" Iroh slammed his fist on the table. "I want to right the wrongs I have done, but I don't know where to start!"

"I will tell you what you can do…but first you must finish asking your questions." Lu Ten insisted.

Iroh was getting impatient, but he admired Lu Ten's patience, and Iroh knew that he would probably not be coming back to the Spirit world again.

"Alright." Iroh inhaled again. "Just one more question."

"Just one? Are you sure?" Lu Ten asked.

"I'm not sure of anything anymore Lu Ten."

"Good." Lu Ten smiled. "You are already making progress."

"Lu Ten…" Iroh waited for another minute. His next question was different from the others, one that he had asked himself over and over, again and again. Before Lu Ten was born, before he was married, his final question haunted him late at night, during his studies, as he meditated. For a long time, nothing was more important to Iroh than that question…_the_ question.

"Father?" Lu Ten said when the old general had not spoken for a very long time.

"Lu Ten…for years…for decades, I have been searching for answers, for wisdom. After you were born I searched. When I was a child myself I looked for a greater meaning to life."

"And you wish to know of life's meaning?" Lu Ten predicted Iroh's question, but he predicted wrong.

"No!" Iroh put both hands on the table, grinding his fingers on the hard wood. "I have seen the greatest of men and the poorest of peasants in my life, and for the most part none of them search for a deeper meaning in their lives. People on my social level, people higher than…most do not search either. My question to you son…" Iroh looked up in the sky and shouted. "…MY QUESTION TO ALL OF YOU!…is why me?"

'_WHY ME…WHY me…Why me…why me…' _Iroh's voice echoed throughout the swamp.

"Why do I have this gift? Why do I have this curse? A thirst for wisdom, to help people, to learn more than what I already know. Anyone could have had this gift…anyone! Why did I?" He looked up to the sky again. "IF YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE OZAI FIRE LORD, WHY DIDN'T HE GET IT!" Then back at his son. "What makes me so special?"

Lu Ten's jaws dangled open. "Father…sit down please." Iroh did not realize that he had stood up, but he plopped back down onto the chair. "You…were not given any gift at all."

"What?" Iroh gasped.

"That's right Father. You were given a wonderful life with peace, safety and lots of spare time to think. That voice in your head, which urges to seek a greater meaning…that is not a special gift. That is how human beings _should_ think. All the misguided people, those who are constantly worried about their reputation, their wealth, their possession…the one's you think are '_normal_'…they have cluttered their minds with so many unnecessary thoughts that they cannot hear that voice anymore. Their creativity, the divine spark that was given to them as children…it was extinguished long ago as they were growing up. But you Father…you held on to that little childlike joy and love for the world. You are not odd…it is everyone else who is odd."

Iroh looked like he was going to cry again.

"Did that answer suffice to your question?" Lu Ten sipped his tea again. Iroh lowered his head and nodded. "I am glad I could help you Father. Do not forget what you have learned this day." Lu Ten looked up at the sky. The sun had moved since they began their conversation.

"What now?" Iroh asked. A tear dropped onto his shoe.

"Now…we are almost out of time." Lu Ten put his cup down and inhaled. "The higher spirits asked me to tell you something important."

"You have already told me many important things." Iroh thanked his son.

"Yes, but this next bit is important to the whole world, not just you. You asked for forgiveness for your sins Iroh. And, although you were correct when you said that you could not take _back_ your crimes…that does not mean that you cannot again atonement."

Iroh lifted his head, excited. "I'm listening." He leaned forward.

"Answer this for me. If evil deeds lie in the past and guilt remains in the present, then where does atonement preside?"

"…the future?"

"Yes. And who holds the future?" Lu Ten smiled. Iroh though for a while.

"…young people?"

"Yes Father, yes. I hate to say this, but you are not the young man you used to be."

"Not young? Looks who's talking, you're dead." Iroh joked.

"Ever the comedian, huh father?" Lu Ten smiled and laughed gently. "But, sadly, it is true. You have been dethroned and you are no longer a prince. You have very little power now and there is little you can do to regain it. But there is another…someone else who you can guide and be a father for. A young life that needs your guidance." Iroh scratched his head, clueless. "Zuko."

"Zuko?" Iroh gasped. "He has a father."

"You and I both know that Ozai despises him. I have watched the poor boy live. He is treated…" Lu Ten's fist curled in rage, but he quickly suppressed his anger. "…the Spirits have called him 'fated'. I am not sure what that means, exactly…but he will play a major role in fixing the world. Father, you have learned much in your travels. You do not have a title or a throne and _that _means you can raise him better than Ozai ever could."

"Little Zuko? Fated?" Iroh looked puzzled.

"Trust me Father. If you treat someone as he is, he will stay as he is. But if you treat him like what he ought to become, he will become what he ought to become. You have more power over Zuko than you know already. Remember, he was the only one who came to say goodbye to you when you left home."

Iroh remembered. He did not think much of it at the time, but he suddenly felt even more guilt for not comforting Zuko in his time of need. Iroh wished that someone was there to listen to him when he needed help. He denied Zuko the same relief that he once yearned for.

"Go home Father." Lu Ten said. "Take care of him."

Iroh smiled and stood up. "I am afraid that my hour is almost over." He bowed. "Thank you for the tea. And the conversation, my son."

"My pleasure." Lu Ten did not bow. He hesitated. "Mom says she loves you." Iroh looked up quickly.

"She is here?" He smiled.

"No. She in another place. But I saw her." Lu Ten paused. "She is as beautiful and as warm as you said she was." Iroh bit his bottom lip. So much had happened in such a short time; his heart felt like it was going to explode. "You better get going. You don't have much time left." Lu Ten reminded him.

Iroh bowed again. "Never forget that I love you…my son." And with that, Iroh took off running in the direction that he came, parting from his son once again. His boy had become his greatest teacher.


	55. The Swamp Pt 3

**The Swamp - Pt. 3**

* * *

…_the person he was has died…the person he has become will live forever…_

* * *

Iroh dashed through the thick swamp as fast as he could, jumping over roots and tree stumps. Thankfully, the spirit world did not weight him down and he was able to run gracefully, like he was thirty years younger.

He panted, not sure if he was going in the right direction.

"PING!" Iroh yelled.

"WHAT?" The little demon shouted back. Iroh bolted towards his voice. He sounded close.

* * *

The little demon sat on the same stump Iroh had left him on. His foot tapped up and down, impatiently waiting for the Dragon to return.

"PING!" He heard the fat man yell.

"WHAT?" He shouted back. Iroh didn't say anything back to him. "Stupid human." Ping rested his cheek on his hand. "And he's so rude too."

In a matter of seconds, Iroh came bounding through the thicket and bushes, charging towards the little demon.

"What took you so long?" Ping asked.

"Sorry. I got lost." Iroh ran next to him. "Come on! Let's go! I don't have much time."

"Calm down, calm down. I…" Ping paused. He stood still and looked at Iroh.

"What's wrong? Come on, I have to get back to Earth."

"You know…if I just waited a just little longer…I could take you to the Underworld. You couldn't stop me." Ping smiled, relieving his sharp teeth. Iroh froze. He felt fear course through his transparent body.

"But!" Iroh held up his finger, thinking quickly. "But…if you did that, your bosses would be very upset with you, wouldn't they."

Ping's sharp smile disappeared. "Wise ass." He grunted. "Fine, let's go." Ping took two steps forward and then stopped again. "Oh. I should warn you now. Going back is a little…rougher than going out."

"Uh…thanks for the warning." Iroh smiled.

"Sure. Now he's polite." Ping began walking away. Iroh took three steps, and only three steps, and then suddenly heard a tremendous sound, like a lightning bolt cracking. Then tidal wave-like force launched him forward. Everything went black and he felt nauseous, dizzy, like he was spinning around in the center of a furious tornado. Iroh's senses exploded and went numb and then exploded again.

Then, just as suddenly as painful experience had begun, everything stopped.

* * *

A rumble came from above Iroh's head, gentler than the last blast. His head throbbed and his muscles ached. Water drizzled onto his wrinkled forehead.

"Urrgggh." He moaned. He rubbed his hand across his balding head. "I feel like I've been…I feel?" Iroh stood up. He was in his body again. "I FEEL!" He yelled up towards the heavens and drops of water pummeled into his open eyes. His severely dehydrated body was saved by the heavy rain cloud that began to spill out water just as Iroh left the spirit world. "HA! I AM ALIVE AGAIN!" Iroh rolled around on the tree, overjoyed that he could feel the discomforting humidity and painful sores all over his body.

"Yep. I hope you're happy." Iroh stopped rolling around. He lifted his head saw Ping behind him. However, Ping was not the gray and grim devil that he once was. What Iroh saw was a blue, transparent demon, a ghost-like figure like Iroh himself once was.

"Ah!" Iroh yelled when he saw the little death demon.

"What?" Ping looked cross at him again.

"I can see you." Iroh said and pointed at him. His pointing finger seemed to offend the demon, but then again everything Iroh did offended him.

"Uh…yeah!" Ping said like it was obvious. "If you go through a traumatic spiritual event, you get to see sprits in the mortal world too."

"Really?" Iroh scratched his head.

Ping sighed. "Argh…mortals. Just don't freak out if you see a blue dragon or a blue demon or something like that. We can't touch you when you're alive." Ping swung his scythe through Iroh's head. Iroh yelled, but the blade passed through him like a cloud pushing against a mountain. "See?"

Iroh felt his head. No blood.

"Anyway, I guess you found what you were looking for." Ping said as he placed his scythe back on his shoulder.

"I think I did." Iroh smiled.

"Good. Then I won't be seeing you again for a long, long time." Ping sounded grateful.

"Where do I go from here?" Iroh asked, but a part of him knew already. He couldn't explain it, but he felt sure of himself, like he would never again need a map or a guide. He felt a gentle yet overwhelming force envelope him. That energy was now his guide. It may have been fate, it may have been the divine Spirits, it may have been the new wisdom he found, but whatever it was…it made Iroh feel like the world, not just the Fire Nation, was his home.

Still, Ping had an answer for him. "Head west Dragon." He pointed his scythe towards the sun. "Go to Gia Shung. You'll meet the next person you are supposed to there."

Iroh stood up and bowed. "Thank you for everything you have done Ping." Then he turned around and left.

"I'll see you when your time comes!" Ping yelled out to the Dragon, grateful that he was finally leaving.

* * *

**I think that this story is going to go on Hiatus until the rest of the Avatar episodes come out. I may see something there that I can use for the future chapters.**


	56. The Order of the White Lotus – Pt 1

**See! _This_ is why I had to wait till the series ended. Cause I knew that those White Lotus guys would show up. I totally called that.**

* * *

**The Order of the White Lotus – Pt. 1**

Gia Shung.

A tiny town of less than a thousand people only six miles away from the swamp. Thanks to the towering mountains around them, most citizens didn't even know the swamp was right next to them. So when a filthy old man covered in moss and bog water came drifting into town, people were more than surprised.

Iroh got plenty of glances as he passed through their main street. Their negative looks didn't affect him, but he did see something else in the people who stared at him. He didn't see peasants who distrusted him, he saw normal people who had been made afraid by the pressures and troubles of life. He didn't see strangers who could attack him, he saw people who were defensive because they were afraid of _being_ attacked. He now saw people as scared and gentle creatures, saw them being fine the way they were…but also saw that they did not believe that themselves.

Iroh's new view of the world gave him peace, but also made him restless. He wanted to make friends, but also help improve the lives of those who needed it. But he did not know where to start.

Iroh felt his money sac bounce on his leg inside his robe. It still held a fair amount of gold, as well as his return ticket for the boat trip back home. It was supposed to be enough to buy him scraps and a few cups of tea here and there, but Iroh knew that it wouldn't last him long enough to keep his stomach full by the time he arrived at the dock. After all, he brought _'plenty'_ gold before leaving the Fire Nation and before he knew it he was sleeping in the streets.

Iroh sighed, already thirsty. "I suppose one cup of tea would hurt." He looked at a small bar at the end of the street corner and headed to it, stepping on each foot gently. He could still feel several blisters on his worn out feet.

* * *

Iroh stepped into the sketchy bar and immediately got nasty glances. Most were just common folk who didn't want any trouble, but they glared at Iroh anyway, suspicious of outsiders. Iroh knew that they were just scared. He knew _now_ that most people who did bad things did them out of fear.

He approached the bar and smiled at the bartender.

"What'll it be?" A giant man asked. He didn't smile back.

Iroh looked behind him. The angry eyes were still focused on him. Iroh could feel them. He checked to make sure the leftover gold was still in his pocket and, knowing that he didn't have much money anyway, made one of his famous rash decisions.

"Uh…how about a round of the house's best drinks for everyone." He shouted. The angry eyes turn soft and a few people clapped.

Iroh exhaled, thankful that an unnecessary confrontation was avoided. _Besides_, he thought, _sharing bounty with many is much better than hording it all to yourself._

The bartender sent his waitresses around the bar and gave some of the pricy drinks to each customer, while he tallied up the total price of Iroh's bill.

"That'll be 30 gold pieces, sir." He said. Iroh happily handed him the money.

"Here you go." The gold clinked into that man's large hand. "And I will have…" Iroh's heart sank when he looked back into his wallet. No gold left. "…never mind." He said with a sigh. He suddenly missed his tea pot at home.

"Thank you sir." Someone said to Iroh from behind him.

"Think nothing of it." Iroh said without looking to see who it was.

"Do I know you?" The person asked. Iroh could tell that it was a man. "You seem…familiar."

Iroh got nervous. He didn't want anyone to know that he was Fire Nation, or that he was the Dragon of the West. He thought carefully of how to respond, making sure that he didn't reveal any important information. "Oh…I'm no one special."

"Well, you are generous. I know that much." The middle-aged man sat down next to Iroh. He had a small beard and a strong smile stuck between two dimples. His eyes, however, looked very worn out, like he had lived a very stressful life or that he spent too many hours worrying.

"Me? Generous? No. Money is a very common thing and its only purpose is to be spent. I don't think it can be called generosity if it is something that you don't really need. Besides, it makes more senses to spend money on something that will make people happy, even if it is to a bar full of strangers."

"Yeah, but it's your money. Shouldn't you spend it on something _you_ want?"

"Money can't buy the things that I want. I want family and peace of mind…neither of those things have price tags on them. All the money in the world cannot turn time backwards or give someone more time. Why bother investing in something that doesn't have true value? Why worry so much about money when truly valuable things cannot be measured with price?"

The man listened carefully. He seemed to absorb Iroh's words, the way a student listens to a teacher.

Iroh didn't realize it, but another man to his left ease-dropped and enjoyed hearing their conversation as well.

"But…most people have to worry about money. I mean, it buys food and shelter. That is important too." The man sounded like he was simultaneously looking for answers and defending his own beliefs.

"Yes, homes are expensive. But it is the people who live in that house that makes it valuable. It is who you eat dinner with and who you lay down with at night that matters."

Iroh looked to his left and noticed yet another man listening in.

"Hello." Iroh said.

"Hi. Thanks for the drink." He said, tipping his glass towards the fat man.

"You're welcome." Iroh nodded.

"Are you some kind of preacher or something?" He asked.

"No, no." Iroh laughed gently. "I'm just an old man who likes to hear himself talk."

"Are you famous?" He asked. "I think I've seen you somewhere before.

"Uh, no. Not exactly famous." Iroh tried to redirect attention away from his past, so he quickly pulled out another philosophy. "Fame is not good for you anyway. I mean, constantly relying on the opinions of others and not of your own? That doesn't sound healthy."

"…yeah, I guess." The man on Iroh's left nodded.

"This guy knows his stuff." The first man slapped Iroh on his back. "I'm going to buy a drink for _you_ now." Iroh smiled.

"Jasmine tea please!" He said and rubbed his hands together in excitement.

"So you really think that money isn't important?" The man on his left asked.

"I didn't say that. You _need_ it, of course. I merely said that it is common and that it is nothing special. The special things are the things that cannot be replaced…" Iroh paused and looked down at the floor. "…like a son…or a wife."

"One cup of jasmine." The bartender said and Iroh immediately became happy again.

"It's just…" Iroh sipped his tea. "…you should not put a tremendous effort into something like money. Instead, you should put your effort into the people who care about you. We may reincarnate after _this _life time, but we still have this life to live. We do not get a second chance the lives we are living now."

The first man, the one who bought Iroh a cup of tea, looked stunned. He had spent hours and hours in that tavern, knowing very well that he had a wife and a daughter at home waiting for him. He remembered back when his little girl was born and the day he got married, how everything seemed perfect and how they changed his life. Already in his mid thirties, he worked for many hours each day, trying to get as much money as he could, but he was not happy. He did not know why he felt so sad when he returned home or when he left the tavern, but suddenly he understood.

He patted Iroh on his back and said "Thank you…so much." And then left in a hurry.

"Um…your welcome?" Iroh did not know what had happened, but he had a fresh cup of jasmine tea and that was all he cared about.

"What else do you think?" The second man asked.

"Hmm?" Iroh mumbled as warm tea flowed down his thirsty throat.

"What other things do you think we should know? You seem like a guy who's…been around in this world." The man respected Iroh's age. "You must know something special."

"Well…there are a lot of things to know in this world. The problem is that most people don't know where to look. The only reason I know things is because I went looking for them. Most people won't even do that much. They wait for answers to come to them. And that's bad. Because by the time the answers find you, you'll be my age and it'll be too late."

Both men laughed, along with the bartender and another man who had taken the first man's stool.

Within an hour, Iroh had half of the bar listening to his words of wisdom. Most of the listeners (uneducated, working class) had never heard the things Iroh had said, but they all seemed to like it.

In the far end of the bar, in a booth away from Iroh, in front of a Pai Sho table, sat a man with a triangle hat and a serious look on his face. He watched Iroh carefully, listening to what he had to say and how the people flocked to him just to hear his ideas. He noticed the way he spoke, the way he laughed at life's worries, and how he selflessly gave his wisdom away.

He scratched his chin, studying the fat man diligently. Almost two hours passed and Iroh continued to talk. He made no mistakes, said no contradictions or confusing terms as he spoke. Everyone understood him, the common man and the educated man. His words flowed like a river and quenched each man's thirst for answers.

"Hmm." The stranger said as he looked down at the White Lotus tile in his hand. "I wonder…"

* * *

When the sun went down and a new crowd of people had entered the bar, Iroh was finally alone. Three other people had bought him tea and Iroh's was more than satisfied. Although he felt hunger begin to creep in, he was pleased that he had helped so many people with their little problems. He was not sure why people suddenly were so eager to talk to him, or why they felt so comfortable asking him for solutions to personal problems, but he felt more content than he ever did in his life. His years of service in the Fire Nation army and under his father's law gave him more headaches than he could count.

"Ha!" He said. "_One night in bar of peasants meant more to me than everything the army had to offer_." He thought to himself.

"A-hem." A voice came from behind Iroh. "Excuse me." Iroh turned around and saw the man in the triangle hat standing. His posture was firm and unmoving.

"May I help you?" Iroh asked.

"I would like to invite you to play a game of Pai Sho." He waved his hand towards the board in the corner of the bar.

Iroh looked over to the board, then back at the man. He had a small, thin beard hanging off the edge of his chin and a scar on his left eye.

"I would be honored to play." Iroh bowed.

"I am Fu."

"I am…" Iroh hesitated. "…Yun." Iroh remembered the fake name from his youth.

"A pleasure to meet you Yun." Fu bowed. "Follow me." They walked over to the board and sat down. "The guest has the first move." Fu said to Iroh.

Iroh reached into the small box by his side where the tiles rested. He looked through them quickly, trying to remember which piece did what. The Boat, the Rock, the Rose…"_I can't believe I use to play this game_", Iroh thought, remembering how many times his old master beat him without even trying.

Then Iroh saw the little White Louts tile. It was the only piece that he remembered how to use and how to use well. It was a simple piece, not very special, but its simplicity was what made it so strong. People underestimated it.

Without hesitating, Iroh placed the White Lotus tile on his side of the board. Fu gasped when he saw it.

"What?" Iroh asked, not knowing what that meant.

Fu paused and stared at Iroh.

"I…see you favor the White Lotus gambit." He said, looking worried. "Not many people cling to the ancient ways." Then he clasped his hands together, opened them and bowed deeply.

But Iroh had no idea what he was talking about or what he was doing.

"Oh…well…the ancient ways aren't too bad. They just need to be refined by the new generation."

Fu raised his head and sighed in relief.

"For a second, I thought that you were a…" He paused.

"That I was a what?"

"…never mind. Let's play." Fu put his Jasmine piece on his side of the board. Iroh played his Rose tile, then Fu, then Iroh again. The more pieces Iroh put down, the more relaxed Fu became.

"Have you played a game with those who know how to play?" Fu asked when all their pieces were on the board.

"Oh, of course. How else would I have learned?" Iroh smiled and Fu sighed again.

"Well, then let's start. The first move is yours."

* * *

Time passed slowly. Fu was impressed with Iroh's skill, even though Fu was going easy on him. Iroh quickly remembered the old tricks his master taught him.

As they played, both engaged in deep conversations of life, philosophy and humor. Iroh taught Fu, and Fu taught Iroh. Both became each other's students and, very quickly, each other's friends.

And there was one other thing.

Fu saw something in Iroh, something unique. He couldn't tell what it was, only that he had never seen it in someone before. He was looking for someone special for a long time, but he never thought that he'd find somebody who was…so mysterious, so secretive. Fu laughed when he realized the irony, but Iroh, once again, was clueless.

* * *

"Game!" Fu said after two and a half long hours of play.

"That was…impressive." Iroh said with a big yawn. He had had a long day.

"I enjoyed that." Fu bowed and Iroh mimicked him.

"So did I." Iroh began to push all of his pieces back into his box, but Fu stopped him.

"Wait!" Fu grabbed the White Lotus tile on his side of the board and clasped it firmly in his fist. "Where are you staying tonight?"

"Um…I actually I haven't figured that out yet." Iroh scratched the back of his head.

"Will you be leaving town tonight?"

"No. I don't think so."

"Then take this." Fu handed Iroh his White Lotus Tile.

"Thank you." Iroh said, just to be polite.

"Take it to the water fountain at noon tomorrow." Fu whispered.

"What?"

"Come alone and tell no one." Fu stood up, bowed, and walked to the back room of the bar without anyone noticing but Iroh himself. He left his Pai Sho pieces scattered across his side of the board.

Iroh was not offended by his rudeness, but the tiny tile in his hand did confuse him. On closer examination of the little piece, Iroh noticed a tan outlining around the flower's petals, but other than that it appeared to be a regular Pai Sho piece.

Still very confused, Iroh began to push the tiles away, wondering what was going to happen at the fountain tomorrow.

* * *

**To Be Continued.**


	57. The Order of the White Lotus – Pt 2

**The Order of the White Lotus - Pt. 2**

Iroh washed his dirty hands in the clean fountain water when he was sure no one was looking. He looked at his reflection and groaned when he saw how filthy he was.

"You've looked better, old man." Iroh said to himself and a passer-by thought he was a crazy beggar.

Iroh kept his eyes peeled for Fu, wondering where he was. It was already a few minutes passed noon. He reached into his pocket and took out the White Lotus piece, just to look at it. No sooner did he take it out did a man sit next to Iroh, wearing a triangle hat like Fu wore. Iroh kept juggled the little tile across his fingers and eagerly continued to wait to see what Fu had in store for him.

"Nice day." The stranger in the triangle hat said.

"Yes it is." Iroh said. He didn't look at him.

"Wonderful day for a game of Pai Sho, isn't it?" The man said.

"I suppose." Iroh thought that he was referring to the tile in his hand.

"Fu sent me." Iroh quickly looked at him, dropping the tile on the ground. The man looked towards Iroh and smiled. "You must be Yun." Iroh's fake name had caught up with him.

"Yes, that's me."

"I'm Chang." He bowed towards Iroh.

"It is an honor to meet you." Iroh bowed back and then picked up the Lotus tile between his feet. Chang looked at Iroh up and down.

"Did Fu tell you what you are here for?"

"No. Would you mind telling me?" Iroh asked.

"All will be revealed in time, good sir. But first…" Chang reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of coins. "…how about something to eat?"

Iroh stomach roared in agreement before he could say anything.

* * *

"You certainly have a big appetite." Chang said Iroh as he scoffed down his third bowl of noodles.

"Mmm." Iroh grunted. Three days of not eating would turn even the most polite of men into manner-less gluttons. Chang checked his bag of coins to make sure that he had some money left.

"Can you keep secrets?" Chang asked when Iroh had finished eating, which was much faster than it would normally be for someone who ordered three bowls of noodles, six dumplings, three cups of tea and wings of a roast duck.

"I am very good at those." Iroh promised.

"What do you know about the Order of the White Lotus?" Chang asked, whispering.

"The White Lotus?" Iroh blurted out.

"Shhhh."

"Oh. Sorry." Iroh scooped the last noodle out of his bowl before answering. "I've heard rumors. To be honest, I don't think that they are real. I mean, a secret organization of men that control…everything? And they aren't seen by the public? It's a little far fetched."

"Well…if those men were all very intelligent, selfless men who put the people before themselves…those who invest in philosophy and wisdom…would that be a bad thing?"

"See? It's hard to believe, isn't it?" Iroh repeated.

"I didn't ask that. I asked it you thought if it was a bad thing?"

"Oh. Well…not really, not when you say it like that. They'd be like guardian spirits or something."

"They make sure that the special secrets are kept safe." Chang said.

"I'm sorry…did you say…that they _make_ sure?" Iroh was confused. He thought that Chang had referred to the White Lotus as an actual group rather than a legend.

Chang leaned forward, as if ready to say something important.

"Yun…Fu was not just some random Pai Sho player. He was an 8th level Lotus. He was a scout. Our organization has been looking for someone special."

"...huh?" Iroh gasped and dropped his chop sticks.

"Last night, Fu told us that you displayed amazing wisdom. Not only that, but you gave your knowledge away for free. He spent all of last night convincing our higher ups and that are worthy of entering our society…and after what Fu told me, I believe him. Yun…we want you to join the order of the White Lotus."

Iroh's jaw hung open. He did not know what to say.

"What…are you?" He asked. "I mean…what do you do?"

"Exactly what I said. We are philosophers who guide those who are lost. We preserve long lost knowledge that the rest of the world has forgotten and make sure that it is kept alive. Advisors, warriors, artists…we put tradition into the future. We are, as you so poetically put it, the world's guardians."

Iroh's eyes were wide. All of the quiet rumors he had heard of their organization were nothing more than urban legends.

"You want…" Iroh paused again, very hesitant. He was about to say that he was not able to take in so much at once, but then he remembered that he had just died, spoke with his dead son, a demon and then came back to life. He got over his astonishment.

"You want me to join you?" Iroh asked. Chang nodded. "What would you have me do? What would my roll be?"

"The grant master Lotus has something very special in store for you, but for the most part…you will a representative. You will be trained in our basic ideas and morals and then you will take that knowledge to your home. Where did you say you were from again?"

"I come from a small town just next door to the Fire Nation Colonies." Iroh thought of another lie quickly.

"But are you Fire Nation yourself? I see your yellow eyes there." Chang pointed out.

"I have some blood in this fat stomach of mine that may be from west. But I am not one of them." Iroh did not lie. He was _not_ one of _them_.

"Okay. Well, I don't have much else to tell you. I am merely a messenger and a delivery boy. I deliver your message and, if you say yes, I deliver you to the Lotus well."

Iroh thought for a moment.

"I suppose I could at least visit your little group." Iroh said. "Just to see what it is like."

"Great. But first Yun …" Chang stood up and walked behind the pudgy man. "…we need to get you cleaned up. You look like you've been in the woods for months."

"You'd be surprised." Iroh laughed.

* * *

The next three hours were spent on Iroh's behalf. Without hesitation, Chang spent what was left of his money to buy Iroh a bath, a hair cut and fine robes. Iroh did not feel comfortable accepting such gifts, but Chang insisted.

When they were done, Iroh looked like a new man. Dressed in green and gold silk, most people would have mistaken him for an Earth Kingdom nobleman, if not for his yellow eyes. Iroh walked straight and firmly in his new shoes, acting properly, the way he was taught to act as a young man.

"Let's go." Chang said to Iroh when he was ready. "The order will be waiting."

Iroh followed Chang, but his thoughts were else where. Maybe it was being called Yun again or perhaps it was because he dressed in silk like when he was an immature prince, but Iroh was once again reminded of his youth, when everything seemed brighter and not as grim.

He remembered learning the mythical creature called the Avatar, he remembered when he fell in love, and, most prominent of all, how he tried so hard to make everything work our perfectly in his life. "_What went wrong?_" He asked himself. He knew that his own angry and lust of power brought him to Ba Sing Se, but _why_ did his life go off track? Was it time? Was it fate? Iroh did not know. He felt a burst of humility when he realized that most people's life went of track. The truth was that most people didn't really know why the world was the way it was, why suffering seemed to be a common thing. Iroh hoped that someone in the White Lotus would know, and that was something.

He wanted answers. Lu Ten had only satisfied his problems regarding his guilt, but Lu Ten also said that people were supposed to be hungry for knowledge.

As Chang led him to the location of the White Lotus, Iroh made a silent vow to himself. He would not go back to the Fire Nation until he was sure he knew why people suffered so much. It was the only way he could ever help Zuko, and was the only way he could help himself.

If not, his pain and turmoil would start all over again.

* * *

**To Be Continued.**


	58. The Order of the White Lotus – Pt 3

**The Order of the White Lotus - Pt. 3**

"Put this on." Chang handed Iroh a purple piece of cloth.

"What is it?" Iroh asked.

"It's a blindfold. Until you are officially in our group, our location must remain a secret." Chang's face was void of compassion. He was serious.

Iroh hesitated, but slowly wrapped the silk rag over his eyes. He tied it tightly, making sure he couldn't see. He did not want to betray Chang's trust.

"Okay." Iroh heard Chang say. "Let's go then."

Iroh discerned the rest of trip through his other senses. Iroh felt Chang pull on his arm and march him forward, making sharp lefts and rights from time to time. Iroh walked down several small stairways here and there, nothing too exhausting. They always led downward, never up. Iroh swore he felt some kind of plant brush against his hand once, but Chang quickly pulled him away from it before Iroh could be sure.

After a good ten minutes of having Chang escort him through blackness, Iroh felt Chang untie the band around his eyes.

Iroh rubbed his eyes as the painful light from several candles shot into his retinas.

"Hello Yun." A man said. Iroh adjusted his vision and saw three men sitting on stone chairs before him. They were each dressed in elder robes of purple and white, making them look prestigious and ridiculous at the same time.

Stunned and confused, Iroh remained silent for a few seconds as he examined their faces. They were all older than him, at least sixty each, but they sat straight and looked very healthy. Each had some amount of facial hair and two of them had white hair. The one in the middle, sitting in the highest chair, seemed to be their leader and had several gold rings on his fingers.

"Ahem." The middle one coughed, expecting Iroh to say something.

"Oh. Hello." Iroh bowed. "It is an honor to be in your presence."

"The honor is ours." The middle man waved his hand at Iroh. "I am Rong." He bowed. "To my left is Hu…" Hu bowed politely. "…and to my right is Ming." Ming bowed. "We are glad that you can join us tonight."

"Please sir…" Iroh's head was still low. "…it is my pleasure. Chang had said many great things about you all."

Rong cleared his old throat.

"Does this mean that you are willing to join our group?" Rong asked flat out. Iroh froze.

"To be honest, I am still a little unsure." Iroh looked toward Rong and noticed him giving Chang a nasty look. "I wanted to speak with you for a while to learn more. I would rather learn much and then leave than disgrace your wonderful organization by just rushing into it."

The three men whispered to each other.

"Very well." Hu said. "We have a man who has been living in hiding with us for quiet sometime now. He has been well versed in our traditions, our secret locations and other aspects of our group. He will teach you."

Hu nodded towards Chang and Chang left the room to fetch the mysterious man.

"While we wait…" Ming said. "…tell us a little more about yourself Yun. Where do you come from? What are you doing all the way out here in this small town?"

Iroh sat down slowly, trying to think of what to say.

"Well…I come from far away. I have heard legends of an incredible spiritual force in the swamp behind the mountains. I went to seek it to see what kind of wisdom could be found there."

"And did you find that great wisdom, Yun? We you satisfied?" Rong asked.

"Yes and no. I did find great wisdom, but I do not think that I will ever be satisfied." Iroh rememebred when he was a boy and he read about The Avatar. "You see, if wisdom of any kind is taken from only one source…that wisdom becomes ridged and stale. So it is important to draw knowledge from many different sources. It is wise to have a thirst for wisdom, but that thirst should never be quenched. For if you stop looking, then whatever you have learned becomes ridged and stale as well and your quest meant nothing."

The three nodded their heads as Iroh spoke, agreeing with him.

"You speak well Yun." Ming said. "Are you a nobleman?"

"I am a man, trying to be noble." Iroh said and Ming smiled.

"You are very mysterious Yun. Do not answer question directly." Hu said.

"Me mysterious? You are a hidden organization." Two out of the three men chuckled. "I speak in riddles to better become a teacher…for a very important person." Iroh thought of Zuko. "Students never learn anything if you give them all the answers."

"Well said." Hu smiled.

"Tell me Yun…" Rong, the leader, spoke. "…and speak straight this time. This question is not to teach, it is to see what kind of man you are." Iroh braced himself. "The world…is in a state of turmoil. We have several ideas of how to survive this war and preserve the ways of the old, but the Fire Nation is becoming stronger with each passing year. How do you think you can help us manage wisdom through these dark times…when everything we know is threatened?"

"Oh. That is a big question." Iroh smiled. He heard the door open behind him and close again.

"One moment Jing." Rong spoke to a man who had just tried to enter the room. "Please, continue Yun."

"I think that war is a terrible thing. We did not choose the era we were born into. What matters is what we do with the time…"

"General Iroh?" Jing screamed. The other men jumped, looked at Jing, then back at the chubby man sitting in front of them, not knowing who he was anymore.

Iroh looked towards Jing and gasped. His memory jumped again. He remembered when he sent 100 men behind the wall of Ba Sing Se as spies. He remembered how 99 of those men disappeared without a trace. Iroh was now staring at one of those 99 men who he thought was lost forever.

"It _is_ you! It's the Dragon of the West!" Jing yelled and pointed. The three elders' eyes were wide open, amazed and scared. Iroh's eyes widened, not knowing what to do.

"Please, calm down." He begged them all. "I abandoned that person a long time ago."

"It was only like two years ago!" Jing said. "Where have you been? Everyone has been looking for you?"

"You are the Dragon?" Rong asked, blown away.

"No…I mean, yes…not anymore. I gave up that life." Iroh said, becoming uneasy.

Jing smiled. "This man is a Fire Nation hero! I have heard him speak once and it was so moving that I have never forgotten it." That is why I am hear General." Jing looked at Iroh, who was still horrible nervous. "These men…the White Lotus…they rescued me from the Dai Lee. They have taught me so much in such a short time."

"You are a prince?" Ming asked.

"Not anymore. I lost my birthright."

The room fell silent.

"…what?" Jing looked crushed. "I thought…I thought that Ozai took the throne temporarily…only until you returned."

"No. He is the Fire Lord. I am not…" Iroh rubbed his forehead. He didn't finish his sentence.

"…Jing!" Rong said. "Leave us for a moment." Jing walked outside, obediently.

The three men whispered to each other for a few seconds.

"So…you will never be Fire Lord?" Hu asked.

"No."

"But, surely you are still an important man in the Fire Nation."

"I suppose. But how important I can be? They let me leave the country just like that. My nephew was the only one to see me leave."

"Your nephew?" Rong said. "Ozai's son? Heir to the throne?"

"Yes. Prince Zuko."

The men whispered again, for much longer than before.

Iroh waited for them to finish. He counted the seconds for so long that he lost count.

"Yun…I mean, Iroh." Rong said at last. "We want you to join your organization…tonight."

"What?" Iroh said.

"You can skip the rituals, skip the hazing and proving yourself. We already know what kind of man you are and that you have been through enough. We'll even let you go up in rank faster than other members." Hu said.

"Wait, wait, wait. I am the Dragon of the West! I burned these lands without hesitation. I killed so many people at Ba Sing Se and am the son and grandson of the men who started this war. Why would you want me to stand beside you?"

"It is complicated…" Rong started, but Ming cut him off.

"No it isn't! It's very simple! In the entire Fire Nation, we have less than 100 members! No one is keeping the ideals of peace and equality alive over there. A man like you, with your prestige and influence, may have a tremendous impact on the direction that country is heading in!" Ming spoke powerfully and firmly, having faith in Iroh's abilities as a philosopher and a leader.

Iroh felt so honored that, after he had done so many horrible things, someone in the world still believed in him. And it was a complete strange no less.

A solider name Jing, a lost man who did not know his way or what he wanted (other than peace), came to them and they gave him their hospitality. A stranger and an enemy was treated like an equal. Iroh did not have all of his questions answered, but he saw how the Order of the White Lotus treated people who had seen the horrors of war.

Iroh knew…

"I will join you." Iroh bowed. "I graciously accept your offers. Under one condition. I must remain here, with Jing and your other scholars, and learn all that I can. Not for very long, just until I learn about your inner workings. I need to know everything and advance as high iny our ranks as I can. Honorably. As I said before, I will not disgrace your organization."

The three men whispered for three seconds and then all nodded.

"Do you still have that Pai Sho tile Chang gave you?" Rong asked.

Iroh reached into his pocket and pulled it out.

"Toss it to me." Rong held out his hand.

Iroh threw it to him. Rong caught it, took a different Lotus tile out from his pocket and threw it to Iroh. It was heavier than the last tile, Iroh could feel it.

"Iroh…" Rong continued. "You are, as of this moment, a member of the elite Order of the White Lotus. Stand and be recognized."

Iroh stood up, proudly accepted. He had found his way in the spirit would; now he had begun to find his way in the mortal world.

* * *

**To Be Continued**


	59. What We Once Were

**What We Once Were**

Three months.

That's how long Iroh stayed with the Order.

He shared a room with Jing, the former soldier. Rong was the landlord of their temporary home. He ate food cooked and paid for by Hu, who was a chief. He read books and scrolls he borrowed from Ming, the teacher of the children in the town of Gia Shung.

Iroh studied the way of the Lotus diligently, like a boy would read books after just learning how to read. The flower represented so much. The many petals opening up whenever light touched them represented the depth of mankind's knowledge and how a little light can show many people the way. The gentleness of each petal reminded Iroh how easily it was to damage a person, physically or emotionally. The seed of a Lotus symbolized man's ability to grow from virtually nothing and then spread their gifts to the rest of the world.

But Iroh did not leave the Order without giving it something back. He practiced his calligraphy and gave Ming scrolls to add to his collection. Remembering the delicious tea Lu Ten made him in the spirit world, Iroh perfected his Jasmine recipe and shared it with Hu. Iroh did not give Rong something physical, but he did teach him and learn from him through many deep conversations about morality and meaning. And new tricks in Pai Sho, which Iroh became very good at after playing many games each night.

Iroh knew that, if he ever needed help, he should only keep his eyes open for a man in a bar with a Pai Sho board ready to play or a flower shop with Louts outside, just by the door. Those marked the location of members of the Order. They swore they would help him like he was their brother. Living with Ozai, Iroh had never known true brotherly love. He liked it.

In only thirty days, Iroh rose to the rank of 12th Lotus, which was significantly high on the scale of Order. He jumped past the basic levels quickly, studied every night and practiced every day, vowing to honor the Order's reputation, even though few people knew it even existed.

The three elders of Gia Shung pushed his ranks higher faster than usual, knowing how important he would be in the Fire Nation. However, Iroh progressed so well and spoke of such profound wisdom, the three elders did not see any reason why he shouldn't have been promoted ever faster quickly. He attained 10th Lotus after sixty days.

Iroh improved his skills in teaching, speaking to strangers, writing and leadership. In the meantime, Iroh relearned some of his fire bending, no longer afraid or ashamed to have such power. He now had the control and the genuine appreciation of the gifts he was given to use them to a much greater level than ever before.

For once, he looked happily at his position as 'former prince' and realized how lucky he was. He'd have influence over the citizens of the Fire Nation, like Ozai, he'd be able to help Zuko grow and the army, also like Ozai, and Iroh was highly respected in his home, like his brother. What Iroh _didn't_ have was Ozai's headaches. As the Fire Lord, Ozai had so many worries and responsibilities that he couldn't possibly dedicate himself to the things Iroh could, especially his son.

And, after years of being out of touch with himself, Iroh began to meditate again. He was able to look deep inside himself, analyze what he was and who he had become. Through his inner searches, Iroh saw that his he needed to go back to the Fire Nation and face his new destiny.

As grateful as he was for all the Order had done for him, Iroh knew that it was time to go home.

* * *

The three wise men were saddened to see Iroh leave. They helped him pack, fed him the night before, said goodbye to him as he left for the Colonies. They did not speak much that morning, but they understood exactly what they wanted to say.

Iroh wore the same beggar's clothes, the same dirty shoes and the same worn out water pouch he had begun his journey with, but he traveled to the docks with three new souvenirs.

The first, plenty of gold for the journey, given to him by the Order. Iroh had felt the sting of starvation and did not want to experience it again. It was the only thing he (immodestly) asked for before leaving.

The second was the Pai Sho tile Rong had given him. Iroh looked at the little flower in a very different way after he had spent so long studying it. While others would see the piece to a board game, he would see life and death, learning and competition, and a symbol of a group that he was proud to be a part of.

The third, the most valuable of all, was what he had learned. Most of it was to be kept a secret, not to be shared directly with anyone, but those same teachings affected the way he thought and the way he looked at the world. He no longer saw the world as an obstacle or a challenge. He saw it as just…being there. The concept was tricky to describe to others without explaining many other things first, but Iroh felt at peace with himself and the world…"_because I will not try to convince myself that things are supposed to be anything but what they naturally are suppose to be_." Iroh told himself. That was one secret he would be able to tell people.

* * *

Iroh reached the dock after three days of traveling, jumping off of one caravan to the next. He ate and drank merrily on his journey. He even got a stomach ache from eating too much one night. Iroh had never been so happy to be so fat.

He got on the first boat in the early morning, hoping to arrive in the Fire Nation capital within a week. He purchased the most expensive room on the boat. He had hoped that it would help him readapt to a wealthy life style, but Iroh ended up spending most of his time outside of his cabin, where the warm summer sun and the cool ocean breeze would dance together.

He talked to many people, heard their stories, shared his own, laughed with them, bought them drinks and tea, made good friends in a very short time. He gave advice to a married couple that had fallen on hard times and found a little boy who had lost his mother on the ship. Before the ship had even made half way through the Great Ocean, Iroh had the entire ship on his side, although they all thought that their new friend's name was 'Yun'.

That is how his days were spent, full of harmony and friendship, loving his fellow man without any fear or insecurities. Iroh had found The Way.

His nights were spent differently.

On the first night on board, Iroh heard a musician name Wynn playing Tsungi Horn in the room next to his. After such a busy life of royalty and war, Iroh never had the time to learn how to play. He asked Wynn to teach him and each night was spent hearing and memorizing the inspired notes.

On the second to last night of the voyage, the boat hosted a talent show and all the members of the cruise were encouraged to show off their hidden skills. Wynn played three beautiful songs while the married couple Iroh had befriended danced, along with the little boy and his mother. A very pretty girl sang a song that would have made statues weep and nightingales jealous. The captain came down and did some summersaults for them, an act he presented on every voyage.

Then the crowd asked for Iroh to stand and perform. They chanted his fake name to get him on stage. Iroh had humbled himself during his venture and was not in the mood to show off, but the beautiful singing girl asked him nicely and Iroh's weakness for women pushed him onto the stage.

He danced for them, bending flames into shapes of animals and tiny firework-like explosions. The crowd watched in awe, dazzled by his hidden talent. One man stood up and shouted 'Gong-fu' as Iroh performed, which meant '_talent and beauty that remains hidden beneath the skin_'. Iroh smiled as the crowd applauded him.

Eventually, the trip ended and Iroh and his new friends went their separate ways. They were all sad to see him go. It was time for their week-old family to say goodbye and many were going to miss Iroh the most. They all said that they'd see each other again, but Iroh knew that they probably never would. Even though they all lived in the same city, social classes are walls that are far more difficult to knock down.

As Iroh headed to the Palace, he thought of only his nephew. The Palace itself meant nothing to him anymore. He only wanted to see his boy, who had become his new destiny.

The last time Iroh saw Zuko, he was ten years old, almost eleven. Just like the boy on the boat. Iroh remembered how Zuko was so attached to him mother, just like the boy on the boat. _Zuko would probably like the ocean as well_, Iroh thought.

Then a thought dawned on Iroh, as such important thoughts often did for him.

Before the people on the boat met Iroh, they were all shy and afraid, scared of meeting new people. When they were pushed together in a small place, given no distractions or jobs to clutter their mind, when they were the only ones they could count on…each of them got along wonderfully. Once pulled away from the real world, they changed. As they left the boat, many would probably act like their former selves, suddenly having so much to do.

Iroh's thought "on the boat…what if, instead of changing into someone else, they were in fact changing back into what they were supposed to be? What if people are not evil, bad, or even untrustworthy? What if everyone who acted in such negative ways did so only because they were misguided…or that they thought they had to act a certain way?

Iroh smacked his fist into his open palm.

"That is it!" He declared. "That is what I can do." Iroh referred to how he would help his nephew. Changing Zuko into someone he was not would only lead to more suffering. Instead, all Iroh needed to do was to treat him like he was supposed to be, like the prince he could become.

Once again, the future seemed much brighter. And this time, no messenger came with a letter of death. Instead, the wind blew from behind him, blowing towards the castle, as if the world was pushing him forward.

Iroh smiled. For once, he was happy to be going home.


	60. Home Again – Pt 1

**Home Again – Pt. 1**

"You there!" One of the two guards at the front door shouted. "Halt! Don't come any further!" He shouted at a man dressed in peasant clothing and worn out shows, who continued to approach the Palace's main gate despite the guard's warning.

"We told you to stop!" The second guard yelled.

"Stand down, both of you." The dirty, fat man said, holding up his open palm in peace.

"Who are you to tell us…"

"General Iroh!" The first guard screamed. "OPEN THE GATE!" He yelled to the gate keepers. "THE DRAGON HAS RETURNED AT LAST!"

The first guard got on one knee and bowed. The second guard, stunned, took a few more seconds to show his respects.

"Please, stand up." Iroh said and they both did as commanded.

The gates crept with a loud screeching sound as the servants struggled to get it open. The hundreds of pounds of steel dragged across the Palace floor, echoing throughout the entire castle.

* * *

"What is that irritating noise!" Ozai yelled. He had commanded everyone in the Palace to not disturb him, and yet a piercing racket bellowed out from the front door, breaking his concentration.

Ozai ran to his window, ready to yell at the first person he saw, but saw dozens of people, servants and attendants and advisors, rushing across the courtyard.

"WHAT IS GOING ON!" Ozai hollered out from the tallest tower, where he spent many hours alone. Most of the moving people froze dead in their tracks, but one brave soul spoke up and answered him.

"IT'S IROH! THE DRAGON HAS RETURNED!" Immediately after those words were spoken, the people began running again, anxious to see their hero.

Ozai felt a stone drop in his heart when he heard.

"Stay calm." He ordered himself. "He couldn't possible know…"

* * *

"Mmm." Zuko tossed and turned in his sleep. A terribly loud sound penetrated his dreams and woke him up. "Oh…what is it?" He asked out loud as he pulled himself out of bed. He dragged his feet towards his window and peered outside.

IT'S IROH! THE DRAGON HAS RETURNED!" A voice yelled from the courtyard.

"Uncle!" Zuko suddenly found great energy. He quickly jumped into his clothes and ran out of his room, as excited as the servants to see Iroh again.

* * *

"Welcome home Dragon!"

"Dragon, we missed you!"

"Iroh, you must tell us stories of where you went!"

Iroh had not been home for more than an hour and he was surrounded by praise. Everyone in the Palace was overjoyed to see the infamous Dragon of the West back in one piece. Horrible rumors had spread of his death, so everyone was thrilled and relieved to find out that those rumors were false.

Iroh only saw happy faces as he walked through the home that was once his prison. The people had barley aged during the time he had been away. Even after over a year of absence, all of them looked the same, untouched by time.

"It's good to see you all." Iroh smiled at each of them. They cheered. Iroh pretended to enjoy their applause.

"UNCLE!"

Iroh heard the familiar voice of his nephew and saw one face that _had_ aged slightly. Zuko charged at the chubby old man and tackled him with a powerful hug.

"I missed you so much!" Zuko said as he threw him into Iroh's round belly. "You've gained weight!" He said with a childish laugh.

"Zuko…look at how much you've grown." Iroh could not believe his eyes. The last time he saw Zuko, he was too small to reach his beard. Now he was shoulder height and his hair had grown so long.

Iroh did not say it, but Zuko looked frightfully similar to Lu Ten when he was that age.

"Where have you been? You have to tell me everything! You're not leaving again. I won't let you!" Zuko spoke at a mile a minute, not letting Iroh answer.

"Sprits! You've gotten faster too." Iroh and Zuko laughed with each other. "How old are you now? Thirteen?"

"I'm still twelve."

"I promise I'll be there for your next party. I sweat it." Iroh patted Zuko on his shoulder and smiled through his beard.

"It's so good to see you Uncle." Zuko hugged Iroh again.

Iroh felt a warm, close feeling of being part of a family that loved him. He had not felt it since before the siege of Ba Sing Se, when he was married. Iroh was surprised that Zuko had managed to retain his warmth even after growing up in a family like theirs.

"Come on!" Zuko grabbed his uncle's hand and tugged him towards the main hall. "Dad is going to want to see you." Iroh's feet began to drag.

"I don't think he…"

"Hurry! He's going to the throne room now to see you!" Zuko pulled and pulled and refused to let the hefty man go.

Iroh sighed and allowed his nephew to led him…even though Ozai would not have much to say.

* * *

**To Be Continued.**


	61. Home Again – Pt 2

**Home Again – Pt. 2**

"My lord…" One servant said to Ozai, who had been nervously pondering about his brother's whereabouts for the past two years.

"What?" Ozai said with his usual angry tone.

"Everything is ready. We can let him in." The servant did not raise his head. Ozai inhaled through his nose and exhaled through his lips. He paused and rubbed his temple. Ozai felt more stress in the past hour than the entire time Iroh was gone.

"…let's get this over with then." Ozai said and the servant stood up. He only put on the 'welcome back' show to keep his servants happy.

"LET THE DRAGON IN!"

The doors to the throne room opened and horns sounded as Iroh walked inside. Dozens of advisors and war heroes (who were, by _coincidence_, visiting the Palace that day) stood in rows and clapped for him. Iroh waved and bowed gently, wearing a modest smile. For once, he was happy to be home.

Ozai only remembered all of the resentment, jealousy, and anger he had horded for his brother the moment he laid eyes on him.

"Welcome home brother!" Ozai said with a big, fake smile as Iroh step towards him.

"Hello, Fire Lord." Iroh bowed deeply. He spoke in a very mature tone of voice, but Ozai's paranoid ears swore they heard sarcasm somewhere in his greeting.

"Where have you been all this time?" Ozai asked. He forced out as much politeness as he could.

Iroh looked up and opened his mouth, ready to speak, but then he noticed that the Fire Lady's chair was empty.

"Well?" Ozai asked, already growing impatient.

"I have…"

Iroh stopped and mentally corrected himself. Azula was there, standing next to Zuko in the front row. She looked very angry and very spoiled. Iroh always worried about her. But there were no other women in the room. Ursa was not to be found.

"I have been in the Earth Kingdom." Iroh confessed. The crowd gasped. Ozai's eyes widened.

"…is that so?" He kept his cool. Ozai was very interested.

"Yes. I have been to many different places there. I was looking for some information regarding my son."

Ozai felt his heart beat like a drum.

"I wanted to look for some…peace of mind." Iroh said and smiled. "And peace of mind is what I have found. That is why I came home. I am finally at peace."

Ozai was not sure whether or not Iroh knew about the truth of Lu Ten's death, so he remained at full alert.

"Well…the important thing is that you are safe. Some less faithful people thought you were dead." Ozai laughed.

"That's a good one." Iroh laughed too. "After all, if two dragons could not kill me, then what could?" The crowd chuckled with him, including Zuko. Azula and Ozai were the only ones to keep her angry scowls.

"You must regale us with all the exciting details of you adventures over dinner. I will throw a banquet for you tonight. ALL OF YOU ARE INVITED!" Ozai yelled and his audience clapped.

"Thank you brother." Iroh bowed again. "It _is_ very good to see you. Please tell me…where is Lady Ursa?" The room began dead silent. No one even breathed. "Is she sleeping? I hope she is in good health."

"Um…" Ozai did not know what to say.

"Excuse me!" One servant stepped out of the crowd and went towards the Fire Lord. He got on one knee and bowed deeply. "Fire Lord Ozai! Iroh has been away for a while. Perhaps these issues would best be discussed in private."

"What issues?" Iroh asked, clueless.

"Very well. What is your name?" Ozai asked the man.

"Lun, my lord."

"Inform Iroh for me. Speak with him in private and answer any questions he has."

"Yes sir!" Lun took his place back in the crowd.

"Well…Iroh…as good as it is to see you again brother…I am afraid that we have to end this right here. Being Fire Lord is a very busy job. You know that." Ozai paused. "Oh wait…I guess you don't know that."

Iroh's eyes narrowed. Ozai smiled maliciously at him.

"I suppose I don't Ozai." Iroh fought the urge to tell him off. He bowed. "Thank you for speaking with me."

"Ahem!" Ozai coughed. "When speaking to me, people usually end their sentences with 'my lord'. Just so you know."

For the first time in months, Iroh felt raw, red hot anger.

"Thank you for speaking with me…my lord."

Ozai smiled wider. And so did Azula.


	62. Things Have Changed

**Things Have Changed**

"Here sir. Sit. Sit and be comfortable." Lun said as handed Iroh a pillow. Lun, one of the few advisors to Fire Lord Ozai, was ordered to bring Iroh up to speed with the changes that had occurred while he was away. Iroh was Lun's hero and idol since he was a young man and meeting with him in his room was a great honor.

"Thank you." Iroh took the pillow and, crossing his legs, found a comfortable spot on it.

"Well…I suppose you have a lot of questions." Lun said with an anxious smile.

"Not really." Iroh said. "Then again, since I don't know what's changed, I don't know what questions need asking."

"No, I suppose you don't." Lun said. He tried to contain his excitement, but he couldn't help but smile widely.

"Well, firstly, where is Lady Ursa?" Iroh scratched his beard. "I didn't see her anywhere today. She was just a sweet sister-in-law and I thought that she'd be next to Zuko. Or Zuko next to her. You know how attached he is to his mother."

"No one has told you?" Lun asked. Iroh saw Lun's face grow nervous.

"Told me what? She isn't…she didn't…die! Did she?"

"Well…" Lun started. "…we're not sure."

"What does that mean?"

"Iroh…something happened in the Palace a while back. Lady Ursa just disappeared one night. No one knows where she went. She just…vanished."

"When?" Iroh yelled, concerned of both her and Zuko. "When did this happen?"

"It was on the same night that your father died."

"WHAT?" Iroh stood up. "That's impossible! That was years ago! Why didn't anyone…" Then Iroh remembered the day he left. He remembered being barely able to stand up straight, racked with guilt over the death of his son. He remembered getting the letter of his father's death and him losing the throne. He did not speak to anyone and went straight to his room. The very next day, he left to find the Swamp.

"…that's why Zuko came to see me." Iroh said. Zuko was the only one to say goodbye to him when he left. "The poor boy…he needed someone and I left him alone." Iroh felt guilty again, but stifled it before it could manifest.

"I'm sorry my lord. We didn't know where to reach you so we could not keep in touch." Lun said.

Iroh sighed and rubbed his head, still in disbelief. "It feels like I've been gone a life time." He said.

"Sir…" Lun started to speak, but didn't continue. Iroh sighed again.

"I'm okay." He said after a while. "I cannot change the past. I can only improve the future. And that means starting with the present."

"Well spoken." Lun said, even though did not completely understand what Iroh meant. "But aside from that, not too much has changed. Oh! But your brother…I mean, Fire Lord Ozai issued a new decree for the war."

"Oh?"

"Yes. As of six months ago. It's a bit hard to explain, but to sum it all up…our army is even more aggressive and more violent than ever before." Lun said with pride.

"…oh."

"That's good, isn't it? I mean, we'll win the war faster."

Iroh didn't answer him. "So…what else has happened?"

"Um…the uh…let's see?" Lun scratched his head. "Aha!" Lun stood up, went to his desk and handed Iroh an ink portrait. "There was a massive ceremony for some of the officers who served at Ba Sing Se. About a month after you left, eighty troops got promotions. Here is the ink rendition of the event."

Iroh scanned over the small painting, and noticed a well-known solider on the far left.

"Zhao?" Iroh said, confused. "This is Lieutenant Zhao. I fought with him at the Siege at Ba Sing Se."

"Did you?" Lun looked at the portrait. "Well, his bravery there was why he was honored. But I'm afraid it's Captain Zhao now."

"Captain?" Iroh gasped. "Him?"

"Yes sir."

"Zhao has been promoted. Because of what he did at Ba Sing Se?" Iroh rubbed his finger over Zhao's face.

"Yes sir." Lun said with a smile. "Ozai read reports from his commanders. How brave he was during the battle, how he fought like a Tiger-turtle and didn't give up." Lun paraphrased Ozai's speech. Ozai _really_ said _'and didn't give up…even when Iroh did'_.

Iroh specifically remembered sending Zhao far away from the front line and never even seeing him on the battlefield. _"At least not until we blew up the wall…"_ Iroh said in his head. Iroh felt uneasy again. The ominous gut feeling about Zhao returned.

Iroh put the painting down and looked around the room. He noticed another painting on the top of the wall. It was an ink painting of his old fire bending master, Siku. The portrait shows that he had aged significantly from when Iroh was a boy, but he had the same stern eyes and the same serious mouth.

A hundred happy memories of his youth and his training came back into Iroh's mind, as vivid and as tangible as the first time he experienced them. Even though Siku burned his books on The Avatar and gave him more headaches than he could count, Iroh still thought fondly of him of the time they shared.

"Do you remember a man named Siku?" Iroh asked Lun with a smile.

Lun froze."…Siku?" He responded timidly.

"Yes. He was my old master." Iroh smiled wider. "Tell me, has he removed that stick yet?" Iroh asked.

"Excuse me sir?" Advisor Lun looked puzzled.

"The one from his rear-end?" Iroh laughed out loud. "I have to tell him that one when I see him. Where is he? I didn't see him in the castle grounds."

Lun did not smile or move or even speak. Iroh sensed a dark feeling in the room, one that he was all too familiar with.

"My lord…Siku…um…" Lun coughed. "…when you…were…gone…Siku passed away."

Iroh felt his heart slow down. Now that Iroh looked closely, the black ink on Siku's portrait looked slightly faded.

"When did…" Iroh clasped his hand over his eyes and put the picture down. "…when did he die?"

"It was…almost fourteen months ago…I think." Iroh sniffed the air sharply again. Lun felt terrible for being the one to tell him. "I'm sorry. But he was in his late eighties. It's a miracle he lived as long as he did."

Iroh wept gently. Iroh knew that death was a part of life and that all people, including the old like Siku, needed to die. Fear of death was unwise, and the greed of wanting to keep that person alive was selfish. That was not why Iroh cried.

Iroh had tried so hard to hold on to that child-like spark of his. After his son died, Iroh thought he lost it forever. After almost two years, Iroh was beginning to feel it come back at last.

But once again Iroh felt that touch of humor and innocence die. Iroh tired to believe that he was still young (as most people do, no matter how old they get) but hearing of Siku's death was the first time he really felt like he was an elder. It was the first time he understood (and accepted) the fact that he could never relive the wonderful days of his youth.

Iroh wept for his memories.

"It's…okay." Iroh said to Lun, desperately trying to speak with dignity. "I…am sorry…" He stood up. He was not crying anymore, but Lun could hear his sadness. "…but I have to go."

"He's buried in the Fa Long graveyard." Lun said before Iroh could ask.

"Thank you." Lun bowed. "I'm sorry." Iroh apologized. Lun understood.

Iroh left Lun's room, head hanging. Iroh walked slowly through the courtyard, faking a smile to each person he passed. He remembered how miserable the Palace made him feel, in each stage of his life. He remembered being a prisoner as a young man, an object during the days of his arranged marriage, a mourner after his wife died, and war monger before leaving for Ba Sing Se.

"_This place is cursed._" Iroh said in his mind. _"One cannot achieve happiness while surrounded by riches and high walls."_


	63. More Than What I Once Was

**For any new readers, you may want to read chapter 2 before reading this one.**

**This chapter is dedicated to Isaia, for her amazing art and a picture with the same title. **

* * *

**More Than What I Once Was**

_"Siku. Must I?" Iroh whined._

_"Yes! Now follow me and stop complaining."_

_"I don't even know who he is." Iroh continued to complain._

_"That is why you are coming." Siku grabbed his student's wrist and pulled him. Though his forties were approaching, Siku had a grip like an Ox-Monkey. Siku refused to teach Iroh how to break out of a grip, knowing Iroh would run immediately._

_The day was very cloudy and a chilly breeze crept over the hills. The sun had decided to hide from the world, making fire bending practice much less effective. It also meant that Iroh had no reason to try and run away from the Palace, not when it looked like it was going to rain._

_Siku decided to take advantage of the weather (and the fact that he knew Iroh would run away) and teach Iroh an important lesson. The best person to teach the prince…was the man who taught Siku, his master._

_Iroh, however, was looking forward to a day of relaxing. Siku ruined his plans of doing nothing and forced him to come outside. Poor Iroh only wanted to lie on his silk pillows and sample a new kind of tea he had discovered, something sweet called Jasmine._

_"What if it rains?" Iroh asked, trying to find an excuse to go home._

_"Then we will tough it out." Siku pulled Iroh harder. Iroh groaned._

_"Where are we?" He asked. They had been walking for almost an hour, heading further into an open field. There were no houses or streets to guide them and there seemed to be not real landmarks on the way._

_"We are going to see my old Master." Siku said. That was all he told Iroh._

_"Well, how much longer till we get there. I am ready to lie down and rest already." Iroh wasn't really tired, he just wasn't interested._

_They walked for a long time, not passing a single landmark as they traveled. Siku did not let go of Iroh's wrist, or even loosen his grip. The only thing Iroh saw was a bodi tree far off in the distance, which they were traveling quickly towards._

_._

_"Here." Siku finally let go of Iroh's arm when they were by the tree._

_"Here?" Iroh was surprised. "Are you sure?"_

_"Absolutely sure." Siku walked to the opposite side of the tree. Iroh watched him turn towards the trunk, sit down on his knees, clap his hands and bow. Then he put his hands together and stared forward, as if he were meditating._

_Annoyed, Iroh walked towards him, ready to give his master a piece of his mind, but then he saw the stone pillar that Siku was facing. An incense burner was placed before it, along with a few bouquets of rotting flowers. The inscription on the stone said **"Here lies Master Wung Tai Sho, of the Dragon's Fire School. A great teacher in life who will not be forgotten."**_

_Siku bowed toward the tombstone once again, then pulled out a pair of incense sticks from his sleeve. He lit them and placed them on the burner._

_"Sit my student." He asked Iroh. Iroh did not move. He felt ashamed that he had been so rude to his master earlier. "Please…sit down." Siku asked him again, not looking away from the tomb._

_Iroh slowly sat down, crossing his legs and clapping once at the stone pillar. He noticed the incense smelled like flowers._

_"Listen carefully Iroh. What I am about to tell you is important." Siku waited to see if Iroh had something smart to say, but Iroh's shame kept him quiet. "Some people have a great magic in them. Even the spiritually blind can sense it. They affect the world when they are here. My master was one of them. He was a great fighter. He traveled the world and saw many things. He even knew some of the Air Nomads while they were alive. Can you imagine that? Speaking to an air nomad." Siku laughed._

_"Hehe…yeah." Iroh said gently. His back was not straight, a sigh of insecurity._

_"Anyway, my master taught me many things in life. How to bend, how to believe in myself…but, ironically enough, his death taught me more than I could have ever imagined. It taught me three important things…are you listening Iroh?"_

_Iroh replied with a quick "Yes."_

_"The first was this. The end for heroes and kings is the same for ordinary men. Death. All men die, all men fade away from the world's memory. There is no avoiding it. No bending, no incantation can keep someone in this world forever. Therefore it is important that we remember what those people did and what they taught, so that a piece of them never leaves this world."_

_Siku bowed towards the tombstone again._

_"The second is this. Although it is a somewhat depressing thought, death can be a very good thing. The changing of the seasons, of summer and winter, becomes a blessing when you give up the idea of an eternal spring. Life and death, being young and old, they become blessing if you forget the idea of eternal youth and eternal happiness. Remember that."_

_"Yes master." Iroh bowed._

_"And here is the third. Life will be very difficult at times, especially for you when you become Fire Lord. Perhaps even in the near future. You will have many ups and downs and you will experience much pain in your life. But your memory is a paradise that no one can steal. If you ever lose peace in your life, remember that once you had it. Remember that you once were young and that you have changed from the person you once were. And you will change my student. You have talent and motivation. Change is something that you cannot avoid, but never forget the person you once were. These are the biggest messages in life my student. Never forget." Iroh looked at Siku. "Say it Iroh."_

_"Never forget?" Iroh repeated._

_"Yes. I say that every time I see something from the old world die, when I see a young man grow up. Say it again Iroh."_

_"Never forget." Iroh said._

_"Good. Learn from that. Apply it to everything you do."_

_"But…master, I don't understand." Iroh confessed._

_"One day, you will Iroh. One day…you will."_

* * *

**_Here lies Master Han Di Siku, Master of the Rising Phoenix Technique. A teacher of Prince Iroh, his strength will live on._**

Iroh placed his hand over the inscription. A tear fell onto the turned up soil on Siku's grave. The clouds were gathering over his head, like the day Siku taught him that very important lesson.

"Thank you Master." Iroh said. "Now I understand."

* * *

Iroh left the graveyard, leaving a heavy burden behind. He had said goodbye and, like his master before him, learned something from death.

Iroh had a difficult time expressing what that newly learned lesson was, but he felt it. He felt the idea of remembering, of not forgetting. Once again, he felt the thread of enlightenment tangle around his soul and tug at his heart.

He remembered that Siku gave him such a hard time. That taught Iroh not to lose faith in people you care about.

He remembered that Siku burned Iroh's books. That taught Iroh that no one was perfect.

He remembered the power, the discipline, the respect and the control over the martial arts that he had learned.

The life of Siku was over. He died, like all heroes and peasants do. But the things that he taught Iroh were still with him. Those lessons belonged to Iroh; they were his to keep until it was his turn to die.

Iroh looked at his hands. They could be gentle or incinerate anything they touched. The high level techniques that were once so far out of his reach were now easily accomplished. Siku played a major part in his achieved greatness.

"Siku…" Iroh looked up at the cloudy heavens. "…look at what I have become."

Iroh took his stance and remembered his first kata, the one that was once nearly impossible for him perform. No longer. He had mastered it. When he began his fire bending training, flames could barley escape his fingers. Now pillars of heat exploded out from his chi. A meager flick of his wrists shook the clouds, mimicking the thunder from the coming storm.

Iroh completed his basic attack, bending, twisting dancing with more skill and grace in a few spins and turns than most men could dream. He finished, inhaled, and bowed.

"Thank you my teacher. I am more than what I once was…because of what you have done."

Iroh felt the wind run across his shoulders. He imagined that it was Siku patting him on the back.

* * *

**Everyone, go hug your parents.**


	64. Generosity

**Generosity**

"Wake up."

"Mmm." Zuko moaned.

"Prince Zuko…it's already late in the morning." Iroh shook his nephew's shoulder.

"…it's too early." Zuko pulled his pillow over his head.

"Fine." Iroh said. "Then I guess these cookies will have to be eaten by someone else."

Zuko quickly sat up. "Cookies?"

"Oh yes. And these gifts too…someone else will have to open them."

Zuko leaned over the side of his bed and saw the goodies Iroh promised. A tray of steaming hot sugar cookies and three wrapped gifts sat on the small table in Zuko's room.

"What is all this for?" Zuko asked.

"Didn't I say that I would be here for your birthday?" Iroh smiled warmly at him.

"Wow! Uncle, you're the best!" Zuko hugged him from his bed, then jumped to his feet. "Which one should I open first?" He asked.

"Pick one. Whichever you'd like. I just wanted you to have something so you know that I care about you."

With an eager smile on, Zuko picked the biggest gift he could find and began to tear it open. Iroh shook his head, remembering how messy children could be.

"WOW!" Zuko yelled before the first present was completely unwrapped. It was a pair of wooden swords that were the perfect size for the young prince. Both toy board swords were the same instruments that real masters gave their students to practice with.

"I thought that you would like those." Iroh laughed.

"These are so great! I've always wanted to learn how to fight." Zuko began to randomly throw the fake blades around, nearly hitting Iroh across his forehead.

"Easy now. Easy." Iroh took the toys away from him. "The first rule of weapons training: always practice outside."

"Got it Uncle." Zuko bowed, pretending that Iroh was his teacher.

Still very excited, Zuko grabbed the box nearest to him and shook it. He heard something wooden rattle inside.

"What's this one?" Zuko asked.

"Oh, I bought that a few years back at a traveling circus. I never found a real use for it. But who knows, maybe you will."

Zuko opened the box and pulled out a wooden spirit mask. Well-crafted and painted with blue with white markings, the mask was fit the prince's face snuggly.

"Look at his teeth." Zuko pointed to the mask's fangs. "He looks like a monster."

"Well…"

"I love it!" Zuko yelled. Iroh sighed. He had forgotten how much little boys love violent toys.

Zuko fiercely grabbed the next gift and began to shake it. Iroh panicked when he saw the last gift move so violently.

"UH! Zuko…" Iroh shouted. Zuko stopped as soon as his uncle spoke. "…you better be careful with that last one. It's a bit fragile.

"Oh. Okay." Zuko stared at the package for a moment. "But Uncle, you only missed two of my birthdays. What's this third one for?"

"You said you would be turning thirteen soon. I figured that it would be nice to give you that gift now rather than later.

Zuko smiled and carefully opening the box. Unlike the other gifts, when Zuko opened the last gift he was puzzled. Inside were a porcelain tea cup and a small tea pot, both green, both very well crafted.

"Nice, isn't it?" Iroh asked Zuko.

"Oh. Yeah. Real nice." Zuko said. Iroh could tell that he was just being nice.

"I was hoping that your father would have given you a fondness for tea by now."

"Um…dad says that only silly fools drink a lot of tea."

Iroh's face went grim. Even in his fifties, he still had to put up with an annoying little brother.

"Well, what about drinking a little tea from time to time?" Iroh asked. "Did he say anything about that?"

"No."

"Then why not share a cup with your old uncle? I have enough time to spare today." Iroh smiled at Zuko.

"Um…can we do it later?" Zuko grabbed a few cookies, bit into one and shoved the rest in his pocket. "I kind of want to try these out." Zuko grabbed his new swords and his overeager smile appeared.

"Of course Prince Zuko. Go out and play. Have as much fun as you can."

"Thanks Uncle!" Zuko grabbed the blue spirit mask, hugged Iroh once more and then left to play in the family courtyard.

Iroh smiled as he began to make himself the tea out of Zuko's new set. Even though his nephew had obviously ditched him, the smile on the boy's face was enough for the old man.

Finally, Iroh was happy to be back home.


	65. Teaching Zuko I

**Teaching Zuko I**

"Alright, now…try it again." Iroh said.

"Uncle, we've been at this for hours. Can we please take a break?" Zuko whined.

"Don't exaggerate. We haven't even trained for one hour yet. Now take your stance." Iroh slapped Zuko on his shoulder and Zuko's retook his battle stance. "Good. Now shoot!"

Zuko punched forward and a tiny spark of fire came out of his knuckles. He moaned.

"I'm not good at this! We're just wasting our time!" Zuko stamped his foot on the ground.

Iroh stroked his beard. Zuko had the talent for fire bending, but for some reason his skills were not progressing. He had learned the basics at a young age and had been taught alongside his gifted sister, but he just did not develop in the same way.

"It's no use." Zuko sat down. "I'll never be as good as Azula, or dad, or anyone."

"Do not talk like that Zuko." Iroh approached him and put his hand on his shoulder. "You are not worthless. Trust me, you have much strength. You just need to find a way to bring it out."

"I've tried everything!" Zuko grabbed his hair and tugged it.

Iroh paused for another moment. "Zuko…if you always compare your own skills to that of someone else's, then you will never grow at all. You have to look at how far _you_ have traveled. Forget about what Azula can do and just try to focus on what you have done. Your journey is a long one, but you will not know how far you have traveled unless you watch to your own two feet."

Zuko looked up at Iroh. Ozai had warned him multiple times that his uncle was weak and didn't make sense, but everything Iroh said made _perfect_ sense.

"Now try it again. Not for me. Try again for yourself."

Zuko stood up and took his stance. He suddenly wasn't nervous anymore. He threw a few punches, but still only a few inches of flames popped out.

Yet Zuko felt different. Iroh had told him something that he never would have learned if he had listened to his father.

**-2 weeks later-**

"WOW." Zuko yelled as a small pillar of fire launched into the air. "Did you see that?"

"Of course I did Zuko. I may be old, but I'm not blind" Iroh smiled.

"I actually did it! That was…" Zuko jumped in the air, overjoyed that he accomplished something without making a fool of himself.

"You've improved Zuko. You're doing much better than before. Keep this up and I have no doubt that you will be a great fire bender one day."

"…thanks uncle." Zuko was about to hug him, but he hesitated and bowed instead. "Thank you, Sifu."

"You're welcome, my student." Iroh bowed as deeply as Zuko.


	66. Teaching Zuko II

**Teaching Zuko II**

Several months passed and Zuko's fire bending progress quickly. With a compassionate and patient man like Iroh as his teacher, Zuko's skills grew faster than ever and he was becoming more confident by the day.

But Iroh noticed that Zuko's skills weren't the only things that were growing. The boy turned thirteen and, almost the very next day, his voice began to crack. His joints hurt often and he became more temperamental.

Iroh knew that the key to surviving teenaged years was patient, while still being sympathetic towards their emotional ups and downs. Iroh had to remind himself to give his nephew some space when fire bending lessons were over.

But that only made Iroh want to spend time with Zuko more. Being around a young man reminded Iroh what it was like to be a parent. Thankfully Zuko wasn't bothered by Iroh constantly bugging him, or at least he didn't act like he was bothered. So the two continued to enjoy each other's company.

Then, one day during fire bending practice…

Iroh had just finished teaching Zuko a basic kata, when he noticed a young girl staring at his nephew from across the other side of the courtyard. She seemed quiet and shy, a typical girl her age. Iroh had seen the pale skinned, black haired girl watching Zuko before while she played with Azula's friends. Whenever she looked at him, Zuko would glance back quickly and then they would both turn away from each other. This went back and forth like this every day she was over.

So one day, just before bending practice ended, Iroh noticed Zuko and the girl crossing glances again and he finally decided to speak up.

"Who was that?" Iroh asked. Zuko's cheeks turned red as a cherry.

"That was just Mai." Zuko didn't look his uncle in his eyes.

"Oh. Is she your friend?"

"No! She's Azula's friend." Zuko declared. Though he was finally starting to notice Mai as _more_ than just one of his sister's friends, he still was a little defensive when it came to issues with girls.

"I see. She seems nice."

"She's weird." Zuko walked over to the stone bench and sat down.

"She is probably just shy." Iroh followed him. "Don't tell me that you still think girls have…uh…what do they call it…coodles?"

"What?"

"Um…cooties?"

"Oh, cooties."

"Nah, I'm not some kid anymore." Zuko said. Iroh tried not to laugh. "But that doesn't mean that I want to hang out with her."

"Hang out?" Iroh asked.

"You know. Spend time with her."

"Ah!" Iroh said and thought _"Curse this generation gap!"_

"Yeah." Zuko said, then trailed off.

"Well, I hope that the reason you are avoiding her is not because she is a girl."

"No. That's not it." Zuko gulp, getting more embarrassed by the second.

"It's okay Zuko. There is nothing to be ashamed about. It is perfectly natural for a young man like you to be shy around young girls if you are."

"I'm not shy!" Zuko insisted.

"I didn't say you were. I just said…_if_ you were, then there would be nothing wrong with it."

Zuko huffed. His uncle was starting to annoy him.

"But…" Iroh would not stop. "…if you _were_ shy, even though I know you're not…I know a few good tricks to help people get over those little fears." Zuko looked towards his uncle, interested. "But you are not shy around girls. So there is really no point in me wasting more of your time."

"Um…" Zuko swallowed his pride,"…I'm sure hearing that would be good for a few laughs. I mean, who would need advice on something like that?"

"Right." Iroh rolled his eyes. "So, what I would say to those people, whoever they may be…is that key is to look her in her eyes."

"Her eyes?"

"Yes. It is very simple, but just look at her eyes and pay close attention to her when speaking. Stand up straight, be confident and just make sure that you take an interest in her."

"Really?"

"Really. It's not hard. It just takes practice."

Zuko scratched his head for a moment. "That sounds so stupid." He said.

"Yes. Completely ridiculous, isn't it?" Iroh laughed. Zuko laughed with him.

Still laughing, the young prince leaned forward in his seat and saw Mai peeking at him once more. This time he did not look away from her, and made eye contact with her. Mai blushed, but didn't run.

"Excuse me." Zuko said to Iroh as he got up from his seat.

Iroh shook his head, and smiled.


	67. Teaching Zuko III

**Teaching Zuko III**

"Um…" Zuko thought carefully. He felt his uncle's eyes sternly glaring at him, and he did not want to make the slightest mistake in front of his teacher.

"Zuko…go!" Iroh said.

"Okay! Okay." Zuko's voice cracked again. His thirteen year old body shook as doubt entered his heart. "Here I go!"

With a quick thrust of two of his fingers, Zuko pushed the Dragon tile down the Pai Sho table.

"Very good my nephew." Iroh congratulated his student. Zuko smiled. "But not good enough." Iroh jumped Zuko Dragon tile with his White Lotus. Zuko moaned.

"Do we have to play this game?" Zuko asked, not enjoying himself. The one thing he had in common with his sister was his hatred of losing.

"Fine, fine." Iroh said. He had tired numerous teach Zuko how to play Pai Sho, but the prince did not seem to have the same knack as Iroh. So with a wave of his sleeve, Iroh pushed the tiles off the board, into the small storage box beside him.

"Thank you." Zuko bowed, still being respectful.

"So, what do you want to do then?" Iroh asked. He put his hand on top of each other in front of him, connecting his sleeves together.

"Well…I actually wanted to ask you something." Zuko lowered his head slightly.

"Is this about that Mai girl?" Iroh smiled.

"No!" Zuko shouted, cheeks blushing. "But…thank you for that. What I wanted to ask was…well…I don't know how to say this."

"Take your time." Iroh insisted. Zuko took another moment to search for the right words, but, not being a big reader, the prince had to make due with the few words he knew.

"Is there…like…some kind of secret? I mean, I look at you and…I don't know. You've got this way to you. You are always calm and kind and you're never afraid. Is it just your age? "

"Zuko…" Iroh reach over the Pai Sho board and put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. "…if I told you what the secret was, it wouldn't be a secret. Would it?"

"Oh, come on! You can't do that!" Zuko complained.

"I'm sorry. I could not resist." Iroh laughed.

"So, are you going to tell me or what?"

"I don't know if I should. I _could_ tell you…but…"

"Please." Zuko asked, though he was really begging.

"…alright. I suppose." Iroh cleared his throat. "A man is what he thinks he is."

Zuko paused. "…What does that mean?"

"Just what I said. A man is what he thinks he is."

"Um…okay." Zuko's eyebrow's lowered in confusion.

"Listen. A person does not become a warrior overnight. He becomes one through training and hard work. But first, he must tell himself that he is a warrior. A learned scholar does not become a genius overnight. He must tell himself that he is smart over years and years, not losing confidence in himself or his goal, continuing to tell himself that he is a scholar years after he his destiny is realized. The world can be very confusing at times, prince Zuko. The only things that we _really_ have control over is how we perceive things…including ourselves. So, if you want to know the secret to being confident, brave, strong, funny…or anything else, the secret is to just constantly tell yourself that that is what you are. Your perceptions, your judgment…how you _choose_ to see the world _creates_ the world. That is the secret."

Zuko stared at his uncle. Part of him did not believe what he heard. It was too simple, too effortless. His father had told him numerous times that the secret to power was through fear and having no weakness, that you needed to use force to get what you want. Iroh had said something so different that Zuko's mind didn't fully understand it.

"Um…thanks." He said to Iroh, unsure of what he had just heard.

"I know what you are thinking." Iroh said. "But trust me. If you just try it for a while, within a few weeks you will see a change."

"Okay." Zuko bowed. "I _will_ try that."

* * *

**5 weeks later**

* * *

"Azula! Give it back!" Zuko ran after his horrid sister, trying to get his Blue Spirit mask out of her hands.

"Make me, Zuzu." Azula teased him as she bounced from place to place, enjoying her brother's suffering.

"Come on! Give it!" Zuko jumped towards her, but Azula's grace and skills were superior to him.

"Oh please. You're so dumb and weak. You couldn't get this even if you really, really tried."

"_I'm not weak. And I'm not dumb!"_ Each time Azula insulted him, Zuko would recite that mantra and subdue the discouragement he felt when his sister spoke.

Zuko stood up and continued to charge at his mask, but instead of rolling on the ground, he flicked his wrists, used his center and balanced. He did not go running blindly towards his sister like he used to. Now he knew how to wait and outlast her.

And eventually, Azula made a mistake. She tripped and Zuko grabbed the mask out of her hand just as she hit the ground.

"Ow!" Azula said as she hit the ground. An angry looked immediately appeared on her face.

"I'm not weak." Zuko said as he put the mask over his head. "And I'm not stupid either." Then, without poking fun or showing off (like his sister would have), Zuko turned around and modestly left.

Enraged that she had made a mistake, Azula pounded his fist and the bottoms of her feet onto the ground. Nothing infuriated her more than losing because of her own blunders. So every time she messed up or did something wrong, she recited a mantra of her own, a poisonous catchphrase that her father had told her many times, over and over again.

"_Only the weak make mistakes!"_ Azula repeated in her mind, thinking of her father's power as she did.


	68. Comfort

**Comfort**

"Is everything ready?" Ozai asked as he adjusted his crown.

"Yes sir." Ozai's main guard bowed.

"Good. Then let's get going." Four guards took all of Ozai's belongings and carried them out of his room. Even though he'd be only gone for two weeks, Ozai always took many things with him. The Earth Kingdom colonies were dreadfully boring and he did not want to endure any moments of quiet.

The king and the four guards walked in unison down the corridor, not making eye contact with each other. Ozai wore his signature glower, serious as stone.

"Hey dad." Ozai did not even look at Zuko as he passed by his son's room. "Um…have a safe trip." Zuko said, but he wasn't sure if his father heard him.

Halfway through the palace, Ozai heard a terrible noise from the castle courtyard. It was a low, mystical melody coming from an instrument that belonged in a temple, but not in a palace. He glanced out a near window and saw his brother playing a Tsungi horn under the same tree he used to meditate under when he was younger.

"Old fool." Ozai snarled at Iroh, even though Iroh couldn't hear them. Ozai turned to one of his guards and snapped his fingers, summoning him.

"Yes sir!"

"Keep an eye on him. And my son. Make sure Zuko does not leave the palace while I am gone."

"Yes my lord." He bowed.

* * *

So Ozai left, once again without saying goodbye to his first born. Azula had gone with the Fire Lord, but the prince was not invited. The gates closed and Zuko had to watch them both leave from his room. He saw Azula stick her forked tongue out at him before she vanished behind the tall gates. "_At least she bothered to look at me",_ Zuko thought. His father didn't even turn around to see if he was watching.

After Ozai left, Zuko ran to his room, desperately wanting to be alone. He sat in his oversized bed, wishing that his father had taken him instead of his sister, wishing that just once he would be seen by his father's eyes. He lay on his bed and looked up at his ceiling, thinking of all of the things there were to see in the world, all the things that his father would see and he probably never would.

"Prince Zuko?" Iroh's familiar voice came from the young man's doorway. The chubby old man let himself in, still holding the Tsungi horn. "How are you?"

"Okay." Zuko said with a stale smile.

"You look a little lonely." Iroh put the horn down beside Zuko's bed and sat down next to him. Iroh's hand rubbed the silk sheets. They were the same ones that he used to sleep in himself.

"I'm fine. Just…tired."

"You are a bad liar, prince Zuko." Iroh moved closer to him. Thankfully, Ozai had not taught him how to lie well.

"I wanted to go with him." Zuko said sadly.

"I know." Iroh put his hand around Zuko's back and pushed him into his chest, hugging him warmly. "But you still have this old horse to push around." He jokingly spoke of himself.

"Yeah." Zuko laughed.

"Is there anything you want to do in the days your father is gone? I would be happy to escort you around town for a while."

"That sounds nice, but…the guards say that I can't leave the palace."

"Oh really." Iroh was not surprised.

"It's okay." Zuko picked up one of the wooden board swords his uncle had given him for his birthday. "I can always practice with these. I'm getting really good."

"I believe you." Iroh patted him on his back. Zuko laughed, but Iroh sense his discouragement.

Iroh looked outside Zuko's window and saw the courtyard. He remembered what it was like to be cooped up inside the castle when he was a boy, sometimes for weeks at a time. Iroh could do nothing but empathize with Zuko.

"I have an idea!" Iroh said after a few moments of silence. "Have you ever gone camping?"

"Camping? No. I've always wanted to try it…but, I'm not allowed to leave the palace."

"Who says that we are leaving?" Iroh winked at Zuko. "We can sleep outside near the coy pond, under the stars and moon. It'll be nice and cool tonight. We can even light a camp fire and everything."

Instantly, Zuko was happy that his father hadn't taken him.

"Sure! That sounds great!"

"I'll make all of the arrangements. I promise that you will have a good time tonight." Iroh stood up and left his room. For the first time a while, Iroh ran. He ran to go find someone to help him find a tent.

Thoughts ran through Iroh's head as he bounced through the palace grounds, thoughts of him and Zuko staying up too late, eating fire roasted food, even an image of them both fishing in the coy pond passed through his thoughts.

But as soon as those happy thoughts entered his conscious mind, he suddenly felt a wave of shame.

Iroh sighed and stopped running.

"Zuko is _not_ my son… Zuko is _not_ my son…" He repeated to himself a few times as he began to walk at a respectful, calm pace.

Even with the excitement of camping in his heart and even as he told the guards his plans, Iroh had to force himself to remember that he was only Zuko's uncle…and never more than that.


	69. Spreading the Legend

**This chapter takes place a few hours after the last one.**

* * *

**Spreading the Legend**

The camp fire crackled as Iroh poked at it. His stick was partially burned. Zuko watched Iroh carefully, hoping that he would do more than just jab the hot cinders.

So many blissful hours had passed between the two of them. Both camped out, under the stars, in the fresh air. Iroh sighed, letting the spirits of the wind fill his lungs.

"Make it move." Zuko said, breaking Iroh's serenity.

"I'm sorry?" Iroh said.

"The fire. Make it move. I wanna see you do something with it." Zuko begged.

"Zuko…must I?" Iroh grinned.

Zuko lowered his head, the way a sad Dog-bear would if he was denied another treat. Iroh rolled his eyes, then rolled up his sleeves. He clapped his hands together and the fire shot ten feet in the air, pulling the wind up with it. Zuko's hair flew back and his eyes widened.

"Happy?" Iroh asked.

"WOW!" Zuko grinned, finally satisfied. Iroh went back to poking the fire.

"So…how are you enjoying our little camping trip?" Iroh asked.

"Um…" Zuko thought carefully before answer. The truth was that he did not like the cold air or the endless waves of bugs that attacked his pale skin. He did not like the hard ground or the funny way the grass poked through his thin silk clothes. "…I'm having a great time Uncle." Zuko said with a big smile.

"Excellent." Iroh smiled back. "I say Zuko, this is what life is all about. Being ouyside in the fresh air." He looked up at the stars and smiled again. Iroh saw spirits and ghosts dangling in the heavens. But all Zuko saw were a few tiny lights in the sky.

* * *

"It's getting a bit late, isn't it?" Iroh said after playing his Tsungi horn for more minutes than he could count.

"What? Oh, come on Uncle. Can't I stay up all night like you?"

"Like me?" Iroh laughed. "I'm going to go to bed in an hour. Us old people have to sleep too, you know."

"But…you're…then…then let me stay up till you go to sleep."

"Fine, fine." Iroh smiled.

"But you gotta do something." Zuko said, raising his finger at Iroh.

"I already brought you out here, played the Tsungi horn, cooked for you, fed you and I made the fire jump. What more could you possibly want?" Iroh teased Zuko.

"Tell me a campfire story." Zuko curled his legs up to his chest and balanced his chin in between his knees. "I heard the servants say that you tell the best stories."

"Oh, did they now? Well, a man my age has a few good ones to tell."

"Tell me the one when you killed the dragons at the Sun Warriors ruins!" Zuko yelped in excitement.

"Um…" Iroh hesitated. "…I really don't want to retell that story."

"Oh. Oh! Okay, I get it. They were so horrifying and monstrous that you don't even want to remember them."

"…right." Iroh tried to smile.

"It's okay. I understand. But tell me something else. Something interesting."

"Hmm." Iroh thought of some of the good stories he knew. "Did I ever tell you about my days fighting with the Rough Rhinos?"

"You fought with the Rough Rhinos?" Zuko's jaw dropped and he crept closer to the fire, eager to hear more.

* * *

Iroh told three different stories, the kind that got more embellished and exciting the more they were told. After he "killed" the two dragons, he fought with the Rough Rhinos on the battlefield. Those days were short lived, but Iroh made sure that Zuko stay on the edge of his seat as he told the story.

Then he told Zuko about his great grandfather Sozin. Even though Iroh only met him a few times when he was very little, he remembered him well. Zuko was fascinated by that tale, having only heard about his great grandfather in history books. But instead of describing Sozin as a mighty warlord, Iroh remembered Sozin as a sad, guilt-ridden person. Zuko was confused. Iroh told him that it may have been because of all of the blood on his hands, but Zuko didn't think a man like Sozin would be bothered by the war. The Fire Nation was the good guys, after all.

Then Iroh told him about the many times he escaped from the palace to spend time outside in the royal city. He left Meng Ha out of the story, as she was too painful to remember, and replaced her with the numerous other girls that he had wooed and romanced. Zuko was shocked when he heard that his uncle willingly consorted with peasants and wretches.

Their last hour awake went by quickly and before they knew it they had stayed up much longer than Iroh had intended. Iroh did not notice how late it was until he saw Zuko yawn.

"Tired, young man?" Iroh asked.

"No, no. I can stay awake." Zuko insisted.

"I think it's time we went to sleep." Iroh uncrossed his legs and stood up.

"Aw, come on uncle. One more story."

"I don't know. You may not get up tomorrow."

"I will. I promise. I swear on Agni that I will. One more. Pleeease!" Zuko clasped his hands together.

"What would you like to hear about now?" Iroh sat back down.

"How about a legend? Like…a ghost story. About the spirit world."

"I don't know any real spirit stories." Iroh confessed. Zuko looked disappointed. Iroh sensed that he was losing his audience, so he recalled the one mystical story that he knew by heart. "However…I do know about someone who was more than just a man or a spirit."

"Really?" Zuko sounded interested.

"Have you ever heard of the Avatar, prince Zuko?"

"The what?" Zuko's eyes narrowed.

"You've never…oh, you're in for a treat."

Iroh told Zuko the old legend that was supposed to be kept a secret from the boy. The idea, the reincarnation cycle, the power of all four elements in one body. Zuko listened, very curious and very confused. He had never heard the story, even though it sounded so important. Iroh told the story with great enthusiasm, overjoyed that there was finally someone who he could talk to about the mysterious Avatar.

"And a week after he dies, he comes back. But this time…he's in one of the other nations." Iroh continued to tell the old stories that gave him so much joy when he was young.

"Wait. You mean the Avatar can be a Fire Nation person too?"

"Yes. He has been. Roku was the name of the last Fire Nation Avatar."

"Can he be a woman?"

"Oh yes. There have been plenty of female Avatars."

"A woman? Fighting?" Zuko thought Iroh was joking.

"Yes Prince Zuko. Some of the female Avatars have been tougher than some of the male ones." Iroh said. Zuko realized that Iroh was very serious, which confused him even more.

"What happened to the Avatar?" Zuko's dragged his finger across the dirty ground.

"Well…no one really knows. When your great grandfather wiped out the air nomads, the Avatar got away from him. The Water Tribe never got their Avatar, so it remains a mystery. I believe that, because of the war, the balance in this world was thrown off so violently that anpther reincarnation could not be possible."

Zuko didn't say anything for a moment.

"…you're making this up." He said with a smirk.

"I am not. I swear."

"Yeah, okay uncle. You had me going there for a second." Zuko finally thought that it was time to crawl into his sleeping bag.

"I mean it. Have I ever lied to you before?"

"Goodnight uncle." Zuko buried himself in his sheets and closed his eyes. Iroh thought he heard Zuko giggle into his pillow.


	70. Cycles

**Cycles**

"Go away!" Iroh begged his annoying little brother.

"Make me! Bend, fight me!" Ozai taunted Iroh, knowing that he'd never actually hit him.

"Ozai, I'm warning you!" Iroh yelled, but even he knew that he was not going to actually strike his younger sibling. He was, after all, just child.

"What are you going to do? Nothing! I know you won't do anything." Ozai smiled.

Even after hours of meditating, praying, thinking peaceful thoughts, there was something about Ozai that always irritated Iroh.

"Go play with someone else. Stop bothering me." Iroh turned away from Ozai.

"You're a little weakling, you know that!" Ozai yelled. "And you're starting to get fat too!"

Quickly, Iroh turned back to Ozai, marched right up to him and breathed heavily in his face. He was only a few inches away from his face. Ozai became scared and suddenly regretted picking a fight with his older brother.

"You are just a whinny little boy. You are full of excuses, not responsibly. And that is why I am going to be Fire Lord…not you."

Iroh walked away, but felt guilt. He knew that words were more hurtful than fists, and he knew exactly what words to say to really hurt Ozai's at his heart. He didn't see him, but he could sense Ozai forcing back his tears.

"I hate you!" He yelled at Iroh. But the prince did not look back at him.

* * *

**Years Later**

* * *

Iroh paced through the castle hallways, trying to get some exercise. He kept tapping his round stomach, amazed at how much weight he had gained over the years.

"Go away!" Iroh heard little Zuko shout from down in the courtyard. He looked out the nearest window and watched the boy run away from his nasty younger sister.

"Make me, Zuzu!" Azula yelled at him. She danced around Zuko, taunting him the way a cat taunts a mouse.

"I'm serious Azula! I'm warning you." Zuko put up his fists, taking an aggressive stance.

"Go ahead. I dare you to do something." Azula smiled, knowing that Zuko would not strike. Iroh could see Azula's grin from the window's view.

Slowly, but surely, Zuko lowered his fists. Azula laughed.

"Why don't you go play with your other crazy friends? Just leave me alone." He turned around and tried to walk away, but Azula's sadistic mind refused to stop.

"You're just a little chicken, aren't you? You couldn't beat me if you tried!"

Zuko turned around and walked right up to her, only a few inches away from her face. Azula didn't stop smiling. Iroh could not hear him, but he saw Zuko whisper in Azula's ear. Then he watched the boy walk away and he thought he saw Azula begin to cry.

"I hate you!" She yelled. "I don't care if mom loved you more. I…hate…you!"

It was then that Iroh realized that he was not watching Azula and Zuko argue. Iroh was watching the sins that he and Ozai had committed, coming back to repeat themselves. Their negative energy, their spite, and their anger had stayed in the palace walls, growing and spreading to the children who did not deserve such an upbringing.

Iroh smirked, thinking that the irony was funny.

"In all of my years of searching for a greater meaning far off in the distance, I forgot to pay attention to what was right in front of me. I wonder what Azula would have been like if I had treated Ozai with more respect when he was young."

Iroh looked up at the sky. He was always amazed by how peaceful it could be one day, and how violent it could be the next. Yet, no matter how much it changed, the sky would always return to a peaceful, clear blue. It was predictable and chaotic, both at the same time.

Iroh sighed, thinking of his family and the heavens.

"Breaking the cycle of hate…of suffering…of generations…of _anything_! It is nearly impossible." He said, acknowledging his own helplessness. He sighed and asked himself, "Is it even worth trying?"


	71. History Book

**History Book**

Iroh walked through the massive library of the royal palace. The size of the room and number of books had grown significantly since his youth. Scrolls, tomes and text books from all over the Fire Nation filled the selves.

Iroh did not have a specific book in mind. He was just browsing through the other rooms of the palace, reminiscing. He remembered running through the corridors and pushing books down to the ground while Siku chased after him. He remembered studying for hours on end and hating every moment of it. And of course he remembered the stories of the Avatar and how they inspired him so.

Turning the corner, he saw his nephew sitting by a table, reading a very large book. Iroh could see a puzzled look on his face from across the room.

"Good morning prince Zuko." Iroh said. When he spoke, Zuko jumped and he threw his hands over the text book.

"Morning uncle!" Zuko tried to smile.

"What is that you are looking at?" Iroh asked. He did not peer over his nephew's shoulder, for that would be rude.

"Just studying." Zuko's palms were placed over a particular section of the book in front of him.

"History?" Iroh guessed.

"…yes."

"Oh, really? May I see?" Iroh smiled. Zuko slowly moved his hands off the text, revealing the title.

_The Dragon of the West's Fall: General Iroh's Shameful Defeat at Ba Sing Se_

"…oh." Iroh said.

"I'm sorry uncle." Zuko's eyes were soft and gentle. "Father told me I had to study this chapter before I continue learning anything else."

"Did he now?" Iroh was not surprised. "May I read it?" Iroh pulled up the stool next to Zuko and sat down.

"Um…okay. But you may not like it."

"I don't expect to." Iroh sighed. "Where should I begin? Where is the part about me?" Zuko pointed to the symbol for 'General' as the top of the page. Iroh pulled the book towards him and began to read.

_General Iroh was once called the most powerful fire bender in the world. His skills on the battlefield at Ba Sing Se proved to be very well tuned. His strategies and his ability to raise solider moral were very useful. However, after six hundred days of fighting, the Dragon finally grew tired. He let his guard down, became over confident and, during an accident, lost his son in the destruction of the wall. He surrendered precisely on the six hundredth day and did not return to the palace after his shameful defeat._

"This book was obviously written before I came home." Iroh said.

"Yes." Zuko did not look at him.

Iroh looked over the paragraph again. After everything he had done, _those_ were the words that students would read to describe all that he had done for his nation.

"Is it true?" Zuko asked. Iroh looked at him.

"Is what true?"

"All of that. Is it true?" Zuko looked worried.

Iroh inhaled. "It was…much more complicated than that. I never liked history books. They leave out all of the drama." Iroh jested.

"So, it really _did_ happen?" Zuko asked.

"Zuko…" Iroh sighed. He did not think the prince was ready to hear his opinions on the war and the ways of non-violence. "…I think…I think that…in your heart, you already know what is the truth and what is a lie."

Zuko looked back at the book and, after reflecting over what his uncle had said, smiled.

"Thanks uncle." Zuko said. He closed the book and stood up.

"Um…prince Zuko." Iroh coughed. "Do you need that book?"

"No uncle. I'm done with it."

"May I borrow it?"

"Sure." Zuko handed Iroh the book. Iroh felt how heavy it was and became jealous of Zuko's youthful strength.

* * *

Iroh skipped meditating for a night, focusing all of his concentration on the history book.

Iroh had hoped that other parts of the tome would speak kinder of him. He was once again disappointed. Instead of praise and respect, he read words like _'coward'_, _'incompetent'_ and _'absentminded'_. The people of the Fire Nation had turned on him.

"Ha!" Iroh said at one point. "It's true what my master told me."

"_Do not trust the applause of the crowd. They clap when you win, they clap when you go to be hanged."_

Iroh searched through the book twice, using up a full bag of jasmine tea as he read. Through the many, many words on the siege and the royal family, there were two things that seemed…strange.

One, specific events of the battles were not described. They did not describe the time Iroh single handedly saved an entire platoon by going to the front line alone, or the many speeches Iroh gave to his men when times got hard. Any heroic actions that would have been in Iroh's favor were left out of the book.

"Thank you again, Ozai." Iroh held up his tea cup and toasted to his brother.

And two, Zhao was praised in the book. Zhao barely did anything in the war, and yet he hailed as a war hero, he promoted and given praise from Ozai himself. But Iroh was there and knew that Zhao spent most of his time at Ba Sing Se one guard duty

Having finished reading, Iroh came to several, disturbing conclusions.

Ozai had control over what the people read, were taught and believed in. Zhao was made into a hero, yet he would not be remembered for it. It was as if there was some kind of secret being kept hidden between Zhao and Ozai.

Iroh thought for a few moments.

Then, a horrible thought came into his mind. Iroh did not let it stay there for more than a split second, immediately repressing it, forcing his mind to think of something else.

In a few seconds, the thought of Lu Ten left his mind and Iroh could relax again. He was no longer at peace, but he was calm enough to blow out the candle by his bed and go to sleep.

That night, Iroh had a horrible dream of Lu Ten running away from the collapsing wall of Ba Sing Se. Iroh reached out to grab him, but suddenly Ozai, dressed like a Fire Nation solider, pushed Iroh away from his son and let the boy die.

In the past, Iroh heard the spirits speak to him in his dreams. They told him of important things that he must learn or problems he needed to fix. But when Iroh woke the next morning, he did all he could to forget the dream and move on with his life.

For once in his life, Iroh tried to ignore the truth.


	72. Haunted

**Haunted**

Refusing to hear the truth has its prices.

For many nights, Iroh was haunted by bad dreams. Nightmares of his son's death and Iroh watching helplessly replayed each time he lay in bed.

After a few nights they subsided and were replaced with frightfully real visions of Ozai harming Zuko.

Iroh could not remember specific details (or he did but repressed most of them,) but in both types of dreams he heard the suffering young man call out to him, begging for his help.

Iroh was so plagued by the powerful images that he could not think straight when he was awake. He had trouble focusing, he could not teach Zuko properly, even his tea did not calm his mind. Iroh did not even attempt to meditate the problem away, too afraid to close his eyes.

Iroh thought that the spirits were trying to tell him something, but he refused to listen. Even though he knew ignoring the spirits was foolish, his instincts told him to refuse their message at all costs. Something told him that whatever the spirits wanted to share with him was not good, maybe even horrible.

But the dreams kept coming.

Fed up by the ninth night, he went to the shrine of his ancestors while the moon was still high. He sat down by the tomb of his grandfather Sozin, _not_ offering any sacrifice or prayer, and demanded that his dreams be lifted from him.

"Grandfather! Lu Ten! Whoever is causing this!" Iroh yelled in the dark, too tired to remember his manners. "Take these horrid dreams away from me and let me sleep!"

At first, Iroh only heard the crickets talk back to him. Then he felt the wind blow around him, caressing his beard.

"NO!" Iroh shouted, knowing that the wind carried ghosts with it. "I will not be silenced tonight! Remove these dreams at once!"

The wind crept into his nostrils and suddenly Iroh became very sleepy. He fought the urge to close his eyes for a few moments before collapsing by the foot of his grandfather's tomb.

The spirits had one last dream to give him.

* * *

_Iroh saw his dream self. He was standing in the center of a dark, empty room. His eyes were closed. There was not a star in the sky above him. There were no sounds._

_Iroh's body walked forward, eyes shut. He took three steps, and as he walked the dark room became alive with colors._

_He took one step and he was suddenly shown images of Ba Sing Se being rebuilt._

_He took his second step and he saw Zuko dressed as the Fire Lord._

_He took his third step and he saw a massive comet falling from the sky. The ball of flames lit the world on fire in a wave of destruction and power._

_After the third step, the room became dark and empty again. A few moments passed._

_Then, suddenly and fiercely, Iroh was surrounded by a circle of flames, though his eyes remained shut. The flames did not move past the circle; they stayed put, encaging Iroh._

"_Dragon." An old voice came from beyond the fire. A tall, white-haired man stepped forward, unharmed by the flames. He had a gold crown in his topnotch and he wore Fire Nation clothing._

"…_uh…who…are you?" Iroh's asked._

"_In life, my name was Avatar Roku." His deep voice echoed, though there were no walls surrounding them. "Time is short, so listen carefully. Your son told you to guard Zuko, for he will absolve the sins of you family. But before that, you must learn the truth about him and your ancestors."_

"_I…do not…want your truth anymore." Iroh said, barely conscious._

"_For Zuko's sake, you must."_

_The black background changed again. Roku showed him an image of Fire Lady Ursa and Zuko standing in front of her. Then a woman stood behind her. Iroh recognized her as Ursa's mother, the one who gave her away to Ozai. Then Roku stood behind that woman and looked down on Iroh._

_Then the images faded away._

"_Now you must learn the truth." Roku said._

"_I…don't want to. I…won't!" Iroh rebelled._

"_Be warned Dragon. We will not stop haunting you until you learn the truth." Roku backed up and let the flames consume him. His glowing eyes were the last thing Iroh saw._

* * *

Iroh's body jolted and he woke up.

At first he did not know where he was. Then he looked at his grandfather's shiny tombstone and remembered his dream.

The sky was still dark and the sun was still far away. The only light was the flickering candle in front of him.

"Oh…what a…" Iroh stopped.

He did not remember lighting one of the shrine's candles. He looked around, but saw no one. The wind crawl over his skin and he suddenly felt like he was not alone.

"Oh…what a dream." Iroh said, insisting that the dream and the candle were merely products of his over-exhaustion. "Thankfully…AH!" Iroh screamed.

Against his reflection on his grandfather's tombstone he saw two yellow eyes, glowing and glaring at him.

Iroh looked behind him. No one was there. He looked back at the tombstone. The eyes were gone.

"Curses." He said, crossing his arms. "I am getting fed up with this destiny thing."

* * *

Too rattled to go to sleep, Iroh walked to the palace library. Well, he ran.

All alone, he lit every candle in the library and checked the whole room to make sure he was alone. His hands shook as he bended the fire out of his fingers. Between the nightmare and the ghosts, he felt like he was losing his mind.

Even after he checked each self and had every candle lit, Iroh still felt like someone was there, watching him, following him, and making sure Iroh knew.

Iroh woke up a few guards and ordered them to bring more candles into the library. Iroh swore that the shadows were moving freely on their own. He saw his own shadow against the wall move when he did not, and was sure that said shadow was not his, but Roku's.

Only when he was sure there was enough light in the large room and that the guards he had awoke were protecting him did he begin to open a few books and read. He started with a history of Fire Lord Ozai and looked for the date and details of his wedding. He had forgotten Lady Ursa's mother's name.

Then he moved onto to look for the records of Ursa's history. Once again, Iroh saw the shadows follow him. He was supposed to be able to see the spirits, but for some reason he did not see any blue bodies as the gloomy shades moved. Whatever it was that chased him (a ghost, an energy or his own insanity) did not make itself seen.

Iroh began to read faster, utterly terrified of the lurking demons. He learned that Ursa had been a child of the Weng family, richest family in all of the Northern Provinces and that they had originally come from the eastern islands.

Iroh hurried to find the maps. He felt the wind blow and some of the candles went out. Iroh's heart leapt. None of the windows were open and the doors were shut. The wind should have been still.

"Let's see…let's see." Iroh said as he read a map as fast as he could. His pointer finger rattled as it crawled over the islands of the Fire Nation Sea.

"_Neigh_!" Iroh looked up from the map. He swore he heard a horse run by.

"Lu Ten?" Iroh shouted into the dark, petrified. No one answered. Iroh had never been so scared in his life, but he continued to read.

Iroh jumped from section to section, running, trying not to look at the shadows or the empty rows. Iroh made the mistake of glancing down a row of books that did not have the next book he was looking for and was stopped by the rotting corpse of a dead man. Iroh nearly died of fear when he saw the specter, recognizing him as one of the soldiers from the siege at Ba Sing Se.

Iroh began to cry a little after ten minutes of rushing around the library. The longer he took, the more the spirits toyed with him. Iroh heard angry dogs bark at him from under the tables and chairs, he heard fallen earth kingdom warriors call him a monster and…more haunting than any other voice…he heard his father! Azulon called out to his son, saying something muffled. Even though Iroh could not discern the words, he knew it was his father's voice. Azulon sounded like he was in pain, burning in the underworld, which only made Iroh more uncomfortable.

Almost an hour passed and the phantoms did not falter. Iroh tried to open the library door and run, but the ghosts had locked him in.

"LET ME OUT!" Iroh yelled. He heard several disembodied voices laugh at him.

Iroh ran towards one random row of books and, covering his ear, he hid amongst the tomes. The tension was too great. After a few minutes of cackling and angry swearing, the voices stopped. Iroh opened one eye and saw that all of the candles had gone out. He heard his heart beating heavily, too old and too stressed.

Iroh tried to stand up straight, but he jumped again when he saw two glowing eyes look at him from the edge of the row.

"STAY AWAY!" Iroh took a stance, but was too scared to actually fight.

The yellow eyes looked down at Iroh's feet. Iroh glanced down and saw a scroll that had fallen off a top self on the floor. Iroh looked back at the eyes and watched them fade away.

Not knowing what else to do, Iroh picked up the scroll and read it.

His fears melted away as he looked at the family tree of Fire Lady Ursa.

"What is Agni's name is this?" Iroh asked as he read. He wasn't afraid anymore, at least not of the spirits.

"Sir?" A guard approached. Iroh looked up with surprise. Behind him, the sun was suddenly shining through the library windows.

"What?" Iroh was very confused.

"Sir, are you alright?" The guard asked. "You have been in this room all night."

"What? I was?" Iroh asked, eyes wide and heart still pounding.

"Yes sir. Are you feeling okay?"

"Okay?" Iroh walked out of the row, pushing the guard to the side. The library was empty. No shadows, no ghosts, no blue specters. All of the candles had melted and gone out hours ago.

"Sir?" The guard seemed very worried. He thought that the Dragon was starting to go senile.

"…ha….ahaha….ahahaha!" Iroh began laughed. Iroh looked at the scroll and rolled it up tightly. "My goodness. That was one of the worst nights I ever withered." Iroh said to himself.

"Um…" The guard took a step back from him. Iroh put his hand on the guard's back.

"Take this." Iroh handed the guard some gold from his pocket. "Don't tell anyone what happened tonight.

"Um…yes sir." The guard bowed and left.

Iroh looked at his shadow on the ground. He waved to it and it waved back. Then he started laughing again.

"Maybe I _did_ go a little crazy there." He smiled and looked at the rolled up scroll. "Aha…ha…" He sighed and rubbed his temple, suddenly very tired. "I need some tea."


	73. Questions & Secrets

**This connects to the chapters titled "Spreading the Legend", "Cycles" and "Haunted".**

* * *

**Questions and Secrets**

It took three cups of the strongest tea in the palace to calm Iroh down. He had never experienced such a stressful night.

"I hope you are happy." Iroh said out loud in his room. He spoke to Avatar Roku, and the other spirits. He knew their eyes were upon him.

Iroh poured himself a new cup and carried it over to unrolled scroll that he had discovered in the library. His hands shook as he reread it, not from fear of the ghoulish creatures that had caused him such grief…but from the incredible secret hidden on the scroll.

The scroll was a family tree that proved Fire Lady Ursa's heritage as a noble woman. Ursa was the daughter of a rich family in the north mountain villages in the Fire Nation. Ursa's great-great ancestor had married a many who was the far descendant of a very successful gold miner that had saved and passed down his fortune for his surviving relatives.

On first glance, there was nothing special in Ursa's family except good luck.

_But_…over a decade before the Great War began, one of Ursa's grandmothers, a woman named Ta Min, enrolled in a school inside the Fire Nation capital city. The details were lost and the family tree was very old, but when Ta Min was a young woman she married a prestigious and powerful man. That man's name was Avatar Roku.

Now Iroh understood why the spirits favored Zuko so much. Zuko was the direct decent of the Avatar himself!

"It all makes sense now." Iroh said to himself. "Why the story of the Avatar was kept a secret from the boy…why Zuko is so different from his father and sister…righteousness flows through his veins!" Iroh did not see compassion and kindness in Zuko by accident. They were his gifts.

But the most important gift Zuko possessed was the promise of balance. Iroh guessed that, deep inside the boy, was the power to end the war. Peace…something the world had not had in a long time.

Hours passed and Iroh's eyes stay fixated on the little line that connected Roku to Zuko. Iroh and Ozai's names were above Zuko's. Azula's was not written, not yet born.

"Ozai…" Iroh felt sad when he looked at his younger brother's name. He knew Ozai was a dark and merciless man, but Iroh still felt responsible for the way he treated his sibling when they were both younger.

Then he thought of Azula, and how she and Zuko were always at each other's throats.

"Cycles again…" Iroh drank from his tea cup. The endless spinning circle of anger was a very difficult one to break. If it did not die in one generation, it carried over to the next…and the next…and the next. There was almost no way to stop it.

But when Iroh saw Zuko…the way he used kindness and mercy and innocence…he saw a way to finally end the cycles of sin that plagued his family and country. Zuko was the key to peace. Zuko was the key to finally doing the impossible.

Then Iroh began to think of someone he rarely thought about…himself. He remembered when he was young, how the story of the Avatar enriched his imagination. For a very selfish second, Iroh remembered how he used to dream of going on heroic adventures and thought that using Zuko would be the way to fulfilling that dream. Then he felt the wind blow over his shoulders and quickly changed his train of thought.

He remembered reading stories of Kyoshi and Kurruk and the unknown boy from the Air Temples. Then the stories ended, just like that. No one knew where the Avatar went or what happened to him.

"Dammit!" Iroh cursed himself. "I should have asked Lu Ten when I had the chance."

Perhaps, he thought, that Lu Ten would not even known. It was a mystery left unsolved.

Ever since Iroh had taken Zuko out for their camping trip and told him the story of the Avatar, he had been dreaming of the mighty warrior and what happened to him. Just the idea of all elements in one body was enough to drive him wild with questions and ideas. Although the years had changed him, the little boy inside his fat belly still loved playing with the idea.

"Roku…" Iroh continued to talk to himself, trailing off on each sentence. The Avatar of Fire had given him a terrifying and uplifting message. The spirits trusted Iroh, which was why they gave him such valuable information. They knew that Iroh would not keep it tucked away on a self for years. They knew that, if there was anyone in the Fire Nation who could properly use the secret of Zuko lineage, it was him…the fat, kooky, fallen prince.

Iroh inhaled deeply and rolled up the scroll. He knew what he had to do.

"I have to go on another journey." Upon saying those words, the wind chime by his window laughed and the candles in his room burned brighter. The spirits were proud of him.


	74. Goodbye, Once Again

**Goodbye, One Again**

Iroh gathered a few other things and threw them casually into the large sac by his feet.

"Are you sure you won't need anything else?" One of the servants asked.

"No, no. I will be fine with just the bag." Iroh insisted. He had traveled with absolutely nothing for the better part of two years. A single bag of clothes and books was luxury enough.

"How long will you be gone for?" The servant asked.

"Not long. Three months…_maybe_ four." Iroh said.

"Four months! Are you sure you will only need one bag? When Fire Lord Ozai travels, he…"

"I am not my brother." Iroh said, slightly angry. "Don't confuse me with him."

"Yes sir! I'm sorry, sir!" The servant apologized. "May I take your bag at least?"

"I think I can…" Iroh tried to lift the sac off the ground, but he felt the muscles in his back stretch a little too far and stopped himself. "…go ahead. Take it for me."

"Right away sir." The servant grabbed his luggage off the floor with ease. Iroh felt robbed of his youth when he saw the healthy man lift the thirty pound bag without so much as a grunt. "Will you be leaving now sir?"

"Not yet. I have only last thing to do. Take my pack down to the caravan; I will leave in a few minutes."

"Yes si…"

"And stop calling me sir." Iroh said.

"Yes sir, whatever you want sir."

Iroh sighed.

* * *

Zuko lay down on his bed, rolling his Blue Spirit mask off the edge of his finger.

He felt lonely already.

"Nephew?" Zuko heard Iroh's voice at his door. He did not answer him. "Are you awake? I would like to speak with you."

Zuko rolled on his side and tried not to look at Iroh.

"I thought you were leaving." He said, condescendingly.

"Not just yet. I wanted to say goodbye to you." Iroh walked over to his bed. Zuko remained silent again. "I did not say goodbye last time and…I wanted to make sure I did today."

Iroh sat down next to Zuko. The prince pushed himself further from Iroh.

"Zuko…" Iroh put his hand on his shoulder. He was starting to form a habit out of it. Zuko did not move. "….I know how much I hurt you last time I left. It was not right of me to go. Listen, I will not be gone for long this time. I will be back before you know it."

Iroh smiled. Zuko didn't see it.

"I…wanted to tell you that…I care about you a lot. I want you to know that I will miss you greatly when I am gone…and that the only reason I am leaving is because I have to. If I didn't need to, I would stay."

Zuko rolled over and finally looked at Iroh.

"Let me come with you then." He said. Iroh felt his heart skip.

"…um…"

"Come on. I've always wanted to travel with you. Over the open sea, through the Earth Kingdom, hearing you play the Tsungi horn every night. It'll be a real adventure!"

Iroh laughed. "You sound like you have had time to think about this."

"Does that mean I can go?" Zuko tried to smile.

"Zuko, as much as I would love that…" Iroh didn't get to finish. Zuko looked away from him and began sulking again when he heard Iroh deny him. "…it would be too long. Your father would never allow it, certainly not on such short notice."

"…I know." Zuko said.

"But I promise that I will tell you about everything when I come home."

Then Zuko threw himself on his uncle's jiggly stomach, hugging him as tightly as he could, like it would be the last time they would ever see each other.

"I'll miss you uncle." Zuko said.

"I will miss you too." Iroh said.

The Dragon really wanted to take Zuko with him, but bit his tongue.


	75. A New Voyage

**A New Voyage**

"Here we are again." Iroh said with a sigh when he arrived at the Fire Nation docks.

Fate's unusual sense of humor continued to mock him; the very same ship that had carried him to Ba Sing Se was the ship that was chosen to be his vessel today. It was one of the only ships available, since most of the navy fleet was at war. He could hear the gulls laughing at him as they danced among the cloud.

Ignoring the deplorable irony, Iroh kept his head up. The weather was perfect for a sailor. The wind was strong and the tide was high. The waves juggled Turtle-crabs through it foam, smashing them against iron hull of his ship.

Iroh had only a few items on him, as most of his things were packed. He had a bamboo hat, a pair of chopsticks (just in case hunger struck him, which it often did), and a map on the side of his belt, containing the voyage's destination.

Iroh did not take three steps towards the ship before being approached by three men. Two privates, and one man in between them, clearly the higher rank.

"Hello General Iroh." The middle man spoke for all of them, his voice hissing like a snake. "I am glad that you have finally arrived." He bowed. His black top-notch was tall and tightly woven. The thick sideburns on his cheeks were just as dark as the hair on his head.

Iroh glared at him.

"Hello Captain Zhao." Iroh stroked his beard. He bowed, but not very deeply. "I trust the ship is ready?"

"Yes sir. Every man on board worked twice as fast when we heard that…the Dragon of the West needed and escort. Taking you to your destination is an honor that I am not worthy to receive. Fire Lord Ozai requested that I personally guide you to your destination." Zhao spoke in a very mocking tone.

"Yes…well." Having nothing nice to say, Iroh did not say anything

"I am afraid that I was not told of our destination. Surely, you don't intend to just…drift around aimlessly for a few years, do you?" Zhao asked, clearly poking fun at Iroh's disappearance after the siege of Ba Sing Se.

"Last time I checked, I am the man in charge here. Not you." Iroh said. "And if you ever want to see your next rank as a soldier, you will speak to me with more respect."

"I answer to active Generals and Fire Lord Ozai. But yes sir, I will show you all the respect you deserve." Zhao smiled.

Iroh pulled the scroll off of his belt and handed it to the captain. "_Here_ is our destination.

"Are you sure this is the correct map?" Zhao had to ask.

"It is."

"But there is nothing _on_ Red Crescent Island. It is as barren and desolate. There isn't even soil there to plant crops. And besides, it would take at least two months to go there and come home."

"I know very well what is on that island Zhao…" Iroh said. "…_and_ how long it will take to get there. That is our destination. I trust that you do not have any objections?"

"No sir." Zhao groaned under his breath.

"Then get ready. I want to leave immediately."

Zhao's fist went into the palm of his other hand. Then he left.

Red Crescent Island was, indeed, barren and desolate. The island was a combination of two landmasses, caused by many eruptions from the two (now dead) volcanoes on it. It was once habitable. A few hundred years ago, there was a small fishing village by its shore. One day the volcanoes gave the last mighty explosion they had and the entire village was wiped out in less than an hour.

Not many people died…but one of those people who did perish under the poisonous ash was Avatar Roku himself.

Iroh knew that that was the best place to start looking. His search would begin at the home of the last great Avatar.


	76. Searching For the Avatar I

**Searching For the Avatar I**

"That is ridiculous!" Zhao said. After almost a month of keeping his mouth obediently shut, he finally the courage (or anger) to speak out against Iroh. A small amount of alcohol made it even easier

The rest of the crew froze in shock when they heard Zhao speak so harshly to the Dragon, yet Iroh just sat still, waiting to hear Zhao's complaints.

"Of all of the ridiculous stories you have told…that is the most absurd!" Zhao grunted.

"Why is it absurd, Zhao?" Iroh asked, maintaining a humble demeanor.

"Oh, come on. Believing your story of slaying those dragons was hard enough. Now you tell us that you actually ventured into the spirit world and expect us to believe you?"

"I never told you to believe anything. I was merely telling you what happened. Believing is a matter of choice." Iroh sipped out of the porcelain cup in his hand.

"And now…stories of the Avatar. A fairy tale! You're telling my men children's stories that only peasants and war victims are foolish enough to believe."

"It is not a story Zhao." Iroh looked at him. "The Avatar was real."

"His return is just a legend." Zhao insisted.

"Well, Fire Lord Sozin believed in that _legend_. He believed in it so much that he committed genocide to prevent him from coming back." Iroh said, assuming that the Avatar never reincarnated into the Air stage.

"Please. Fire Lord Sozin killed off the Air Nomads because there were so few of them. Wiping them out struck fear into the hearts of the other nations."

"It clearly didn't work. If the other nations are so afraid of us, that they are still fighting and are showing no signs of giving up?"

The crew men whispered to each other, saying that Iroh was right. Zhao was not convinced.

"Say whatever you want, but the Avatar is not coming back. There isn't even evidence of his last stage, or his stage as an Air nomad. If there is no proof, then there is no Avatar."

"Well…" Iroh smiled. "…then it is a good thing we are going to Red Crescent Island. Since you seem to want to find evidence to badly Zhao, you will be please to know that that is what we are looking. Evidence." The men went silent.

"THAT is why we are sailing?" Zhao yelled.

"Watch your tone Captain." Iroh warned him.

"Sir…with all due respect…you are wasting funding from the royal family with this trip."

"I AM the royal family!" Iroh slammed his tea cup on the table beside him. "If I say that we sail somewhere, then that means you follow orders. Do not forget that Zhao!" Iroh grew angry with him. He was sick of Zhao attitude and after weeks of stubborn tones and rude mannerisms, he could take no more.

"I…am sorry sir." Zhao bowed.

"And if I ask 'when we will be landing', what do you tell me?" Iroh asked.

"…I say…within a day…sir." Zhao answered, silently cursing Iroh in his head.

* * *

The crew thought that Iroh was a little crazy, but they dropped anchor by the island anyway. They whispered to each other, saying that he was starting to go senile.

Zhao did not argue with Iroh when he ordered them cast anchor. He was happy knowing that Iroh was making himself look like even more of a fool.

Iroh told the crew to stay behind, sensing their growing irritation, and that he would travel across the island himself. The last thing he needed was a grumpy crew to slow him down.

He took a steal boat, one that was small enough for a single man to control, and took off. He heard some of the men speak about on the deck him as he left. The wave censored most of their insults, but Iroh heard one say 'poor old fool'.

Iroh thought about it. Maybe he was a little crazy. After all, even _he_ did not know what he was looking for.

* * *

Empty. Dead. Abandoned.

There was nothing there. Not even a bird of a plant.

Red Crescent Island was lifeless as a long forgotten cemetery. Gray and hallow stone covered every inch of the isle. Waves of frozen lava roofed over the dirt and sand, swallowing up any hope of things growing or people living there ever again.

Iroh walked for hours over the terrible rocks, directionless. They misshaped rocks poked his toes through his nice shoes and he lost balance more times than he could count. The ridiculous spirals and twists of the lava stone made Iroh dizzy. There was no difference between one acre and the next. Everything was covered in empty, lifeless, unforgiving stone.

Hours passed and Iroh found nothing. The sun began to set and he felt the fire bending inside him weaken.

"Oh, I give up!" Iroh yelled up at the sky. Then the wind blew across his robes and he suddenly felt like searching for a bit longer.

In a few short minutes, the sun went so low that keeping his eyes open hurt Iroh.

"Spirits…" He cursed.

Iroh turned away from the sun, away from the painful stinging of its rays, and began to walk back towards the boat, but he was still blinded by a bright light.

"What is that?" He covered his eyes as he glared at a bright sparkle from the ground ahead of him.

Iroh approached the twinkling parcel slowly. It looked metallic. A pair of red, metal spikes poking out of the earth, shinning as brightly as a falling star.

Iroh flicked his finger against it. **PLINK**. It was definitely metal. He grabbed it and pulled. The ground crumbled back into ashes as the object lifted up.

Iroh brushed the dust off slowly, being careful not to damage it in anyway.

It was a hair piece, made of unusually fine quality. It was red and gold, the colors of the royal family. It looked old, almost ancient. A gray hair was left in the pin, perfectly preserved within the ashes.

"Ha." Iroh tossed it up and down. "How did you get here?" He asked the hair pin, but it didn't answer. Iroh knew that it was Fire Nation, that is valuable and supposed to be worn by noblemen, perhaps even royalty.

The sun was still setting. Exhausted, Iroh put the pin in his pocket and began to walk back to the boat.

* * *

With nothing left to discover, the crew turned around and headed back to the Fire Nation.

His books were with him, thankfully. Iroh made sure to take with him several texts on the Avatar, all that he could find and carry with him. He did not sleep that night, he just stayed up and did research, hoping to find something that he might have missed on that island or in the history books.

The little hair piece rested on Iroh table, shifting left and right as the ship rocked. Iroh did not know how a hair pin had gotten onto Red Crescent Island, but he didn't dwell on it. He was not looking for a new hair style; he was looking for the Avatar.

With nothing else to do, Iroh read through his books, revisiting the fables of Roku and his life.

Iroh turned each page carefully, slightly afraid. Not having discovered, he expected the pages to light on fire or another ghost to jump out and haunt him. The spirits were poor sports, and most of the ones Iroh had met appeared to be sadists.

Letting his guard down, he poured another cup of tea and toasted to the royal hair pin.

"Here is to you little buddy!" Iroh laughed. "I hope the spirits aren't disappointed. I tried." He shrugged his shoulders and took a gulp out of his cup.

"_Ahhhhhhh_." A disembodied voice came out of the air vent. Iroh jumped. He thought that it said _"You are not finished"_.

Iroh scanned the dark corners of his room, cautiously, slowly turned the page in his book without really looking at it.

He waited for a while. The hair on his skin stood up and goose bumps ran across his old flesh.

When he was sure that he was alone, he finally looked down at the book on his lap.

"Ptttttt!" Iroh spat out his tea. He had unconsciously turned to the page he needed. It was a portrait of Avatar Roku himself. Iroh looked at his top knot and saw the hair pin on the top of his head. Right beside him, on a separate scroll, was a picture of Fire Lord Sozin when he was still a prince. Sozin also wore the hair pin.

Iroh grabbed the ornament and held it next to the portrait. It was the same piece!

"This is a royal artifact!" He proclaimed. "This belonged to the toyal family? Then how did Roku get it?"

Iroh was becoming more and more confused, even though he was supposed to be finding the answers.

* * *

**To Be Continued**


	77. Searching for the Avatar II

**Thanks a lot college. If it weren't for school, I'd be posting a lot more.**

* * *

**Searching for the Avatar II**

"No…"

"No…"

"NO!"

Fed up, Iroh threw his books asides. He had read over the same scrolls for the full month at sea but he still could not find substantial information Avatar Roku and Fire Lord Sozin. Sure, he found a few facts, like how they shared a birthday and how they had the same Fire Bending master, but that was all.

Not having anything but what he brought with him, he had no choice but to reread the same books. He looked over them carefully each time, making sure that he did not overlook miss something vital. Each time he looked, he began more and more disappointed.

He was not sure if it was a case of cabin fever from being at sea too long, or if it was frustration from not finding the facts he wanted, but Iroh was getting anxious.

"I need to learn more." Iroh said as he closed his books. "I need to find something, anything." Iroh picked up the tossed scrolls, glancing at them casually as he juggled them back onto the table. "There must be someone who can…"

Iroh stopped mid-sentence.

The scroll in his hands was a short history of the last few days of Fire Lord Sozin. The final sentences read '_All final accounts were secured and protected by the Fire Sages. They alone guard the Dragon Bone Catacombs and they alone are the keepers of the last words of the great conqueror Sozin._'

The spirits guided Iroh once again!

"…huh." Iroh was not surprised. He had gotten used to the irony.

* * *

"Finally." Zhao said. The Fire Nation docks were only several miles away. He could clearly see home through his scope. He turned to the men and said "We've gone on the old man's wild seal-goose chase and wasted two months because of it, but now…we are finally returning…"

"_Captain Zhao."_ Iroh's voice echoed out of the speaking tubes. "_Turn the ship around. We are heading for the island of the Fire Sages. That's an order."_

Zhao's eyes brow began to twitch.

* * *

Two more days passed before their ship reached the thin island where Avatar Roku studied Fire Bending. Lava dripped off its sides and poured into the sea, fuming when it touched the sea, hissing _"stay away"._

The Dragon did not turn back.

"Why are we even here?" Zhao asked after they searched through the main archives of the temple for the third time. "There is no hope, old man. There isn't anything here. You're probably just losing your mind.

The Dragon did not turn back.

The fire sages did not enjoy Iroh's company, whom they considered to be a coward for leaving Ba Sing Se. Most gave him disapproving looks as he walked through the sacred corridors of the fallen Avatar.

Still, the Dragon did not turn back.

* * *

Eventually, the crew slipped back onto the ship, leaving Iroh alone to look through the temple grounds. First the soldiers at Ba Sing Se, now the sages and the other members of the crew were beginning to think he was going senile.

Iroh knew what would happen when they got home. The crew would talk amongst themselves, spread rumors around the dock and, before long, everyone in the Fire Nation would think that old age was finally affecting the former prince. Like a fire that was too big to be put out, Iroh couldn't stop the flame of doubt from spreading over his nation. It had been growing there for years already. The sailors wound just fan the flames.

With nothing else to lose, he kept searching. He looked until the sea swallowed up the sun and the only light was the red glow from the top of the volcano. The Fire Sages went to sleep and Iroh was still searching. When the moon was high, he could hear drums beating on the ship. The sounds of his men laughing and playing songs merrily echoed across the island.

And Iroh kept on searching.

Exhausted, he eventually wandered into an empty courtyard. He stopped in the middle, standing loosely on a picture of the sun painted on the ground. Iroh was too tired to notice, but the clay on the picture sounded hollow under his feet.

He looked up at the moon and felt his eyelids jumped up and down, tired.

"I am getting very sick of this." He remarked. No one answered. "What do you want me to do!" He shouted. With his last bit of energy, he punched the ground in anger, shooting fire into the center of the picture. "What do you want from…"

Without warning, four pillars of flames shot out from the picture in a small circle. Iroh felt the stone under him shift and groan. He didn't move, too tired and too nervous. Quickly, the stone picture pushed away from him and a hidden staircase revealed itself.

Iroh hesitated. He looked up at the sky gratefully. "Thanks." He said and then ran down the secret stairway before anyone could see him.

* * *

Iroh had never seen catacombs before. He did not even know what the word meant. When he read the carvings at the end of the spiral of stairs that said "Dragon Bone Catacombs", he assumed it was just a message to scare intruders away.

He quickly found out that it was not _just_ a name.

Skulls of slain dragons guarded the ancient hallway. Walls as red as blood encased Iroh as he walked passed them. The room was hot, sweltering from the rows of torches on top of the dragon's heads.

Iroh did not know where the catacombs were leading him. The hall seemed go travel on for at least a mile.

Finally, the path ended. A stone door shaped like Fire Lord Sozin himself stood before Iroh. He examined it for a few minutes before realizing it was a fire lock. He blasted a huff of flames into the center of the door and watched the statue's eyes light up, roaring.

The door crept open to reveal a dark room filled with cobwebs and rat-snakes that scattered when Iroh stepped inside. He bought fire to his hands and searched the room.

"Ah!" Iroh yelped when he saw a dragon hiding in the shadows, but then he realized that it was just another statue. The dragon was hanging over a few scrolls, as if guarding them from any evil spirits.

Iroh looked down at the scrolls, weary with the dragon watching him. One was titled _The Last Testament of Fire Lord Sozin_. Iroh felt something push him towards the scroll, the work of the spirits no less.

He grabbed it slowly, brushing away the spider webs, and then sat down under the scary statue.

"Well…here I go." He said out loud, hoping that the spirits were watching. "I'm going to read the scroll now." He said as he unraveled it, looking around the room nervously.

He looked down at the old ink symbols and began reading.

_As I feel my own life dimming, I can't help but think back to a time where everything was so much brighter…_

* * *

Iroh read for hours, eagerly studying the hidden tale of the Avatar and the Fire Lord. So much anger, so much confusion plagued the poor old man, even till the day he die, even after he killed Avatar Roku. Iroh could not help but feel sympathy for him, even though his life was one murder after another.

…_I wasted the rest of my life searching in vain._ The scroll ended abruptly, right when Fire Lord Sozin's life left him and the paintbrush fell out of his hands.

Iroh inhaled deeply when he finished.

"They were friends." Iroh rubbed his forehead. "They were friends and he killed him."

Iroh could not believe the truth. The more he searched, the more he dove into the horrible reality of his family's past, the more he himself wished _he_ could go back to a time when everything was brighter.

Still, he got what he was looking for, at last. He put the scroll back under the dragon's claw, as neatly as he could. Then he waited, expecting the spirits to say something else to him.

But they did not answer. Iroh left the catacombs quietly, but still the spirits did not speak to him.

He walked to the ship. Nothing. No ghosts, no voices, no beasts in the shadows. His world was, at last, quiet. The spirits were finally leaving him alone.

Which meant one thing, Iroh though: he knew everything that he needed. Whatever it was that he needed to learn, Iroh now possessed all of the tools. He was ready.


	78. Putting the Pieces Together

**Putting the Pieces Together**

The revelation would not leave Iroh's mind. Fire Lord Sozin…murderer of Avatar Roku. It seemed that the ability to ruthlessly kill ran in his family.

After learning the truth at the Temple of the Fire Sages, Iroh had trouble thinking of anything else. Iroh paced and huffed and stayed locked in his chamber for the majority of the three day trip returning home, thinking of the dark history of his grandfather and his family.

"_Is that what it means to be royalty_?" Iroh thought._ "At the end of the day, are all leaders murderers."_

However, as he thought, he noticed how enjoyably quiet his room was. The spirits, which had so often haunted him in the past few weeks, were finally leaving him alone…or at least staying away from him Iroh swore that he could feel their presence, that they were still there, watching him, remaining hidden. They did not speak to him, meaning they had nothing more to say.

Iroh did not say anything back to them. (False) rumors of his senility had spread amongst the crew and he did not want anyone to pass by his quarters and hear him talking to 'ghosts'. So the crew did not disturb him either.

He was alone, with nothing but his thoughts.

He thought mostly of his son, remembering the old days when his boy was young and alive. When he smiled…when he laughed…when he was too young to go to war.

Then he thought about Ba Sing Se, and what his son must have gone through during the journey and the siege. Iroh tried to not think beyond those memories, although he sometimes wondered what Lu Ten felt during that last few moments of his life.

Then there was Zhao. _He_ kept coming back into Iroh's mind. The last man to see Lu Ten alive, the commander who somehow received praise from Ozai for no concrete reason. Iroh could not see the connection.

For weeks, he tried to ignore Zhao, tried to leave him out of his mind. He knew there was _something_ about him, but Iroh refused to ponder on it. He had a hunch that the truth was more than he wanted to know…and his hunches were usually right.

Yet there was nothing else to do. He read all of his books, he practiced his bending exercises, meditated.

Eventually, the stress got to him and Iroh found himself recalling every detail from the siege at Ba Sing Se. Everything from the clouds in the sky to the members in Lu Ten's platoon.

"Think, you old fool. Think!" Iroh spoke to himself, clutching the sides of his head. "What am I forgetting?"

Perhaps his brain was beginning to fail him, after around six decades of active use. Or maybe it was just too confusing for him to comprehend. Or _maybe_ he was thinking too hard and the answer was right there in front of him.

Iroh cursed. "I bet Zhao would know what happened to Lu Ten that day."

Suddenly, all of the pieces came together. Iroh felt the world spin slowly, as if time was collapsing around him. Like tiles falling on top of each other, one by one, the truth toppled over and Iroh saw the picture they made. Questions swarmed through Iroh's head and were answered seconds later.

Zhao was the last person to ever see Lu Ten alive. Why was Lu Ten on the battlefield when he Iroh ordered a full retreat? Because of Zhao.

The man who received high praises from Ozai was a murder. Why would Ozai praise Zhao for such a horrible thing…unless it was exactly what he wanted?

The one thing Ozai wanted more than anything else, even more than the crown of the Fire Nation, was to humiliate and disgrace his older brother. What better way to do that then steal his birthright from him?

And what better way to remove Iroh's birthright…than end his bloodline.

"No. No, that's not true." Iroh said. He didn't believe it at first, convinced that he just imagined the whole thought of his own brother being responsible all of his suffering seemed so plausible, but still impossible.

But the more he tried to deny it, the more obvious it seemed.

As a Fire Lord, Ozai received power. By killing Lu Ten, rewriting the history books and shaming Iroh, Ozai got his vengeance. In his twisted, selfish mind, he would permanently have conquered his older brother. He probably used the death of Lu Ten to convince his father to name him Fire Lord instead.

Iroh was not sure if it was the rocking of the boat or the twirling inside him, but he felt nauseous.

"Spirits…" Iroh said as he wobbled towards his door. He spewed out the soup from lunch over his hands before he could touch the handle. "…this isn't happening!" He yelled, wiping the grime off his lips.

He felt the wind blow around him again.

"GET AWAY!" He ordered the approaching spirits to leave him alone.

And for once, they listened.

"No, no, no!" Iroh screamed hysterically as he pounded his fist into the floor. Sparks bounced out of his knuckles.

He forced himself not to cry. He was tired of shedding tears. He thought of how long he wept for Lu Ten's death. Ozai won that day, Iroh's tears were symbols of his victory.

Iroh shut his eyes so tight that he felt his skin pinch his forehead. His fingernails scraped against the iron floor, so hard that they began to bleed.

Bang-bang! Someone knocked on his door.

"GO AWAY!" Iroh shouted. He remained on his knees, not possessing the strength to stand.

"Sir. We are pulling into the docks. We are home sir." The sailor said. Iroh did not respond. "Sir?"

"I heard what you said!" Iroh shouted, angrily. "Now go away!" Iroh heard his footsteps echo down the hallway.

Alone again, Iroh looked for something to blame. He wished he had never set out on the journey to Roku's island, so he first blamed the spirits. Then he wished he had never returned home from Ba Sing Se, so he blamed the Di Lee and the earth benders, wishing they had killed him long ago. He wished that he had not turned into such a monster on the battlefield and that he was there to help Lu Ten and that he had never gone to war, so he began to blame himself.

"Sozin…yes." Iroh said. "If there were never a war to begin with, then Lu Ten would still be alive." He blamed his grandfather, then his father, then his brother. "…monsters." He called them.

As soon as he said that word, _monsters_, his hands began to tremble. He looked at his wrinkly fingers and the blood was on his hands too.

Iroh began to breathe heavily. He tried to think straight, forced himself to. He thought back to what he learned while in the protection of the Order of the White Lotus on blame. It was a challenge to remember it, but he did.

_Humans like to look for something to blame during bad times or when they suffer. They blame others, loved ones and even themselves. But the thing at fault…is suffering itself. There is no one to blame but the cycle of suffering. Try to find a way to end it and the suffering will cease._

Iroh calmed down a little. "The war." He said. "_That_ is the real cause." He looked down at the blood stained onto his open palms. "It is this stupid cycle of kill and be killed. It is the aggression, the lack of compassion, and the idea that killing is necessary for peace…that war…"

Iroh inhaled, not able to continue. He felt a little better, but the teachings would not solve his problems now.

For his son was still dead, and his brother did not care.

No one did.

* * *

**Because of school, posting is becoming increasingly more difficult. Sorry, but the big finale is going to be a little further away.**


	79. Sins of a Family

**Sins of a Family**

Iroh was the last one to leave the ship. Zhao did not say goodbye to him, nor did the majority of the crew. They did not trust him anymore.

An eerie sense of familiarity surrounded Iroh was he walked off the ship, back into the Fire Nation, with no one there to greet him. He stumbled over his own two feet, barely having enough strength hold up his head.

Iroh felt as though his son had died all over again. Knowing now that Ozai was the one responsible for his death brought back the painful sting of grief.

Iroh did not know why he was going back to the palace. Like before, he had no reason to.

"There is nothing back there." He said, not worried about who heard him. "I have no father, no wife, no son. My only sibling is a demon." Iroh felt a painful pinch behind his eyes, but forced himself not to cry.

Iroh looked up at the clouds and held open his arms.

"What else do I have?" He asked…to Roku, Lu Ten, the Great Spirit, anyone listening.

And on cue, he got an answer.

"Uncle!"

Iroh looked down and saw Zuko climbing off the back of an Ostrich-Horse. He tied its reins down and ran to greet him.

"You came back!" Zuko shouted. He stopped running just in front of him.

"I…of course. I promised…that I would." Iroh said. It looked like Zuko had grown more since the last time he had saw him. His ponytail had grown longer and his shoulders were straighter.

"I missed…" Zuko was silenced abruptly as Iroh pushed him into his chest, hugging him tightly.

"Agni…" Iroh said sobbingly. "When did this happen?" He asked the young man in front of him. "I remember when you were too small to walk."

"That was…Uncle…that was a long time…let go already!" Zuko giggled as he struggled to push the fat man off of him, but Iroh did not let go.

"I missed you Zuko." Suddenly, Iroh realized what he had to live for.

"Yeah. yeah. I missed you too. Now get off! You're wrinkling my silk!"

Iroh laughed and let him go. Zuko huffed and fixed his hair.

"I'm glad you came to see me." Iroh said, completely forgetting all of the negative thoughts that plagued him.

"I wouldn't miss it. I even snuck out of my room, like you did when you were young" He paused, waiting to see if Iroh would lecture him, but Iroh only smiled. "I mean…_you_ said goodbye to _me_, right?" Zuko grinned.

"Right." He patted Zuko's shoulder, knowing how important he was…to Iroh and to the world. "Let's go home then." Iroh suggested.

"I'll race you." Zuko's grin widened.

"Uh…let's not and say that 'you won'."


	80. Ozai Watches Carefully

**Ozai Watches Carefully**

Each Fire Lord, before and after the war began, was always busy. If they weren't discussing the war, they were ordering the armies, writing decrees, helping the advisors and the people of their kingdom.

Even though Ozai was used to slacking off as a young boy, he loved working as the leader and owner of his country. Everyday, every action was another testament to his power and crafty mind.

When he raised his fist, his advisors shuttered.

When he spoke, the world listened.

When he made threats, no one dared to stand in his way.

He had earned what most men dreamed of and few ever get: power. True, divine, absolute power. Not just in politics, in his own prowess. The fire in his hands was deadlier then that of any other bender in the world.

He did not have a wife any more, but he did not see that as a bad thing. He did not miss Ursa, nor did he want another wife. She would only hold him back.

Ozai was a grand king, a ruler that could shake the foundations of the planet with snap of his fingers. He had supremacy like no other ruler before him.

And yet, there was one thing that was not just beyond his control, but also beyond his understanding.

Every now and then, between meetings, he would see Iroh spending time with his son, either bending, playing music or telling jokes.

Over dinner, even though Ozai only spoke to his daughter and tried to ignore Zuko, the boy would eagerly speak up when ever his uncle was mentioned.

Zuko would often speak rudely to Ozai's advisors and friends, the result of puberty and a body infected with swirling hormones. He never spoke harshly to his father, _probably out of fear_, Ozai thought. Zuko never spoke harshly to Iroh either, but Ozai could not figure out why.

Iroh was a weak old man who had his titles stripped off him and his status reduced. He was still royalty and still a prominent figure in the Fire Nation, but he was not feared. He would always smile, he would laugh often, let people close to him.

Ozai could not figure out why Zuko was so enamored with the elder.

One day, Zuko began speaking prophetically and slowly, the way a child would mimic a role model. Zuko went so far as to tell his sister to spend more time with him. Ozai was happy when Azula turned Zuko's offer down.

He noticed these things rarely, and once those moments were shown, things went back to normal very quickly. But they were so outstanding that Ozai couldn't help but notice them. He even counted how many times it happened. Ozai tried to deny it, but after the seventh time, he could not ignore what had happened.

Zuko was starting to behave like Iroh was _his_ father.

"It's probably just a phase." Ozai would say after Zuko tinkered with a Tsungi horn.

"He's just acting foolishly. All children do that." He assured his advisors when Zuko began drinking more tea than usual.

"Don't you dare listen to him!" Ozai was forced shout at Zuko when he began speaking of the Water Tribes with kind, open-minded words that sounded too much like compliments.

Ozai knew that he was probably just imagining things. After all, if it was Iroh, then it was probably nothing important, probably nothing serious…

…but still…the sight of Zuko's smile in Iroh's presence discouraged him.

"If this continues", Ozai told himself, "I will have to do something about it."


	81. Ozai’s Daughter

**Ozai's Daughter**

Om.

The perfect word. The sound that echoes through peaceful minds. Compared to that word, all others were silent.

Iroh recited it, that single word, as if it were a mantra all its own. Patiently he sat under the tree in his garden, reciting the word carefully, the way one handles a freshly cut rose.

"Om…" He said, inhaling. "Om…"

"What does _that _mean?" A tiny voice asked.

Iroh opened one eye and saw Azula glaring at him, one hand propped up against her hip.

"Om?" Iroh asked. Azula nodded once. "It is…difficult to explain."

"Eh. Forget it then." She said, smugly, like she didn't have the patience for long definition. She paced around him, the sat down on the bench behind him, dangling her legs over the ground. "Why don't you just sit on the bench?" She asked. "Your robes will get dirty…not that they were ever clean to begin with."

"The ground will always be there. It is there to be supportive and provide balance. It is much more reliable than a bench or a chair, which can only last for so long…"

"Yeah, yeah. But your robes _still _will get dirty." She said.

"Then…all I have to do is clean them." Iroh said. He turned his head gently and looked at Azula.

She had grown, though she was still stuck between being a child and young woman. At only twelve years of age, she was almost as tall as Iroh and he could see the beauty of her mother blossoming on her face.

Yet there was something…strange about her. She was not coy like other high class girls, nor was she reliant of men. She also was quite confident and could bend like no other person (male or female) her age. At first Iroh thought that those were positive traits…but there was more.

Azula's confidence spawned to great pride. She showed no compassion or mercy, nor did she hesitate to strike anyone in her way. She was cruel, she liked hearing people admit their inferiority to her, and was always looking for a new person to torment, although Zuko was usually her first choice.

Like a freshly cut rose that has thorns, Azula was beautiful and as poisonous as a venomous flower.

"Is there something I could help you with, Princess?" Iroh asked.

"No." Azula shook her head. "I just was curious…"

"Hmm?" Iroh hummed, curious.

"What would a man like you be doing wasting his time meditating when you already have all the fire bending power you could need? It seems like…such a waste."

"There is more to meditating than just…"

"I mean, look at you. You're not exactly getting any younger. I don't think you have the luxury of wasting your time under a tree."

Iroh heard her rudeness. It was not accidental; the young girl had come to him looking for a fight.

He did not answer her right away. He turned from her and closed his eyes again.

"What? Lion-cat got your tongue uncle?" Azula taunted him.

"No. Common sense is the only thing that owns my tongue." He said.

"What does that mean?"

"Maybe you will learn one day." Iroh hoped.

She didn't say anything to him for a few minutes, but Iroh felt her yellow eyes crawl over him, examining him, studying him the way a cat stares at a mouse.

"Dad taught me a new fire bending technique." She said abruptly.

"Oh, did he?" Iroh was suddenly very, very interested.

"Yep. You push the energy through your feet and blast off like a firework. It's like you can fly…but I think a fat man like you wouldn't be able to pull it off."

"I should think not." Iroh was not fazed by Azula's insult. The little girl was disappointed that she wasn't bothering him; Iroh could sense it.

"Maybe you should teach Zuko that trick. Or has he burned himself again? Is that why he's not practicing now? Little baby."

"Young lady, why are you so eager to see other people hurt?" Iroh asked. It was uncustomary for male elders to be involved with female youths, but Iroh felt that he needed to make an exception in Azula's case.

"Because it's how life goes. The weak get crushed by the strong. You're Fire Nation and were once a prince. You should know that." Azula smiled. "But then again, dad said that you were the strange one in the family."

Iroh's eyes widened. He jumped to his feet and loomed over Azula. "What else did your father teach you?" Iroh asked.

"N…nothing." Azula leaned backwards, nearly falling off her stool. She stood up quickly and stepped away from the old man.

"What else did he teach you?" Iroh demanded to know.

"I don't know." She suddenly sounded like a cowardly little girl. She covered the top of her head, like she knew what it felt like to be struck by an adult

Iroh watched her, trying to tell if she was scared or merely pretending to be scared. Azula looked up at him and, sure enough, he saw a bit of rebellious courage in her copper eyes.

"I'm leaving." He said. "Stay away from your brother." He turned around and walked away.

Iroh heard her breath in deeply, then…Shoosh!…felt a wave of heat from behind him.

Iroh reflexively turned around and blocked the ball of blue flames that Azula had deliberately launched at him. She smiled, smoke pouring out of her knuckles.

Iroh paused, shocked. Azula's actions should have been counteracted. Iroh knew he could fight back, even kill her.

But all he saw when he looked at her was a little girl who had been lied to and wronged for her whole life. He didn't see a villain of a threat. He saw a lost girl, just doing what her father had taught her.

So he did _not_ fight back. Nor did he say anything to her.

"I knew it." She said after a few moments. "Dad said that you wouldn't have the guts to fight back." She swayed past him, gave him a glance, and then said "I'll stay away from Zuzu for a while."

Iroh watched her leave. She rocked her hips back and forth and didn't look back at him. She stopped walking when she heard Iroh breathe heavily, thinking that he would attack her, but she continued when the attack did not come.

Iroh looked at the other end of the garden. A bush of roses was growing in the corner, newly planted. The roses that were unhealthy, too short, too pale, that had even the slightest imperfection on them were left on the bush.

However, the roses that were deemed 'the best' were clipped and cut off immediately. Their place above the other roses, their talent and beauty sentenced them to have their lives cut short.

"It is true." Iroh declared. He glanced at Azula and then back the rose bush. "Out of all of the stones in the quarry, the rocks of gold at snatched first. Out of all of the gifted women in the world…the fairest and most gifted never stand a chance."

* * *

**Dedicated to Steph, even though she will never read this.**


	82. Confortation

**Confrontation**

"Back off Azula!" Zuko yelled and swung his wooden swords around in circles.

"Go ahead, hit me! I bet you don't have the guts!" Azula grabbed Zuko's wrists, twisted them backwards and his swords fell to the ground.

"OW!" Zuko screamed. Watching from a far, Ozai smiled and took pride in his daughter's skills.

Zuko jumped backwards and began to run around, playfully, not really angry at his sister. Azula began to chase after him. She wasn't angry either, but her father was watching and she did not want him to seem less aggressive around him.

Ozai watched them both play together. For a brief few moments, he was glad that they were getting along.

"You can't beat me Zuko!" Azula yelled and took a stance. "For I am Fu Wei Tao! Great champion of the Northern mountains! Slayer of a hundred men and guardian of the Spirit volcano." Azula mimicked a character from one of her favorite bedtime stories. Ozai grinned at little, remembering how her mother used to tell her the tale.

"Oh yeah? Well I'm not Prince Zuko. I'm Avatar Roku!" The smile ran away from Ozai's face. "I can bend all four elements, even air. I can fly, make earthquakes, cause the seas to swallow up entire towns…"

"Please. At least my character is real. You had to go and make up someone. Even his name sounds stupid."

"Avatar Roku _is_ real!" Zuko insisted. "Uncle told me so himself."

"What?" Ozai yelled at the top of his lungs. Both children jumped out of fear. "What did he tell you?" Ozai marched over to Zuko. He looked like he was about to eat him alive. "What did he tell you?" Ozai grabbed Zuko by his wrist and pulled him off the ground.

"Ow! Dad, you're hurting…"

"Answer me boy!" Ozai screamed. Zuko felt an extraordinary heat coming off his father's palms as he crushed his tiny wrist.

"He…only told me about…ow! He told me some stories. That was all. Ow!" Zuko whined.

Ozai growled and threw his boy to the ground. Azula did not move or look her father as he passed her.

"Go to your rooms. Both of you!" He shouted as he left.

Azula bowed, obediently. Zuko only whimpered.

* * *

The fat man whistled as he paced in his room.

"Leaves from the vine…" He sang, but hummed the rest of the song. He did not feel like remembering any lost solider boys, not when the day was so beautiful.

"WHERE IS HE?"

Iroh could hear Ozai yelling from a few rooms over. He tried to ignore it.

**SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!** A few doors swung open and closed, getting louder each time. Iroh heard him coming towards him and sigh, knowing that they were going to have another fight.

Ozai found Iroh and glared at him.

"What is it _now_ brother?" Iroh asked.

"What did you do? Teaching my son about the Avatar?" Ozai yelled at Iroh.

"You're mad about _that_?" Iroh nearly giggled at the absurdity.

"Your presence in this palace is bad enough. I don't want him to start thinking like you too. You fill his head with more nonsense every day. I can barely stand to even look at him not thinking of you. Now he starts acting like the Avatar, the sworn enemy of our grandfather…and you expect me to _not_ get mad!"

"The only things that I expect you do these days is lose your temper." Iroh said calmly.

"You pathetic whelp. You're sixty and you still act like a child."

"And you don't? You're whining like one. You're supposed to be Fire Lord, aren't you?"

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Ozai's paranoia came back. He wondered what Iroh knew.

"If you really _are_ supposed to be Fire Lord, then you should have more resolve and more control over yourself."

"I DO NOT NEED CONTROL!" Ozai hollered. "I am a living God! Restraint is for cowards and weaklings!"

"You sound just like dad." Iroh said. Ozai's face swelled up red.

"I have had enough of you ridiculous philosophy! Stop telling him these stories of fabled Avatars and start teaching him how to be a man." Ozai pointed his finger in his brother's face.

"Ozai…"

"THAT is an order from the_ real_ Fire Lord! Stop telling him those stories, and start teaching him how to act like a _real _man."

Iroh did not smile, or frown, or resist him. He stood still, glaring at Ozai, thinking of a clever way around his order.

"Do you hear me!" Ozai bellowed loudly again.

"Yes…my lord. I hear you…and I will obey." The words were acid in Iroh's mouth. They were sweeter than sugar to Ozai's ears.

"Good." He grinned. "I will not warn you again." And he left him.

Iroh was good at finding loopholes. Though he could not teach Zuko about the Avatar anymore, he had other ideas of how to educate the boy…

* * *

**To Be Continued**


	83. Teaching Zuko IV

**The Tragedy of Prince Zuko is very close. The dominos are all lined up. Pay close attention to the words Iroh says to him.**

* * *

**Teaching Zuko IV**

Without knocking, Iroh entered Zuko's room. He had a short redwood stool in one hand.

"Zuko, come with me. We have to talk." Then he stepped out into the hallway. Zuko just followed him.

* * *

Iroh lead him to the library. The setting was perfect; they were surrounded by wisdom that had been passed down through the ages. The stories of the Avatar had long been burned, but the preserver of their knowledge was still there. As long as the wisdom was inside Iroh, the myth of the Avatar would never die.

"What are we doing here?" Zuko asked.

"_I_ am going to talk and _you_ are going to listen." Iroh put the stool down. "Cross-legged. Prince Zuko."

Zuko sighed. "Uncle, please…I am not in the mood for another one of your sermons."

"This one is important. Please sit"

"Yeah, I know. They're _all_ are important."

"Exactly! Now sit."

"Uncle, I…come on. I have so many other things to do today. I have to practice my marching, uh…some Ambassador is coming to visit today. I have to study history and politics too. Don't you see uncle? I have to train to become a better leader. For the country."

Iroh inhaled and said "If you are going to rule this nation one day, don't you think you need to start learning as much as you can?"

That struck a chord in Zuko's head. He paused for a while, then said "Okay. You've got my attention." And sat down.

"Today, I want to teach you about Action."

"What, like fighting?"

"Not just fighting. I mean taking any step forward. As future Fire Lord, you will be judged by every decision you make and everything you do will have a consequence. Therefore, you must concentrate on making the right choices. For yourself _and_ for you people."

Iroh cleared his throat, to see if Zuko would interrupt him. He didn't so Iroh continued.

"There is talent in everyone. The unfair thing is that some never get to show how talented they really are. You are a beautiful soul, Zuko. You have compassion and patience and you are loyal to a fault. These are the traits of a great leader, but it is not enough."

"Hey. I've made a lot of progress." Zuko took offense. "All of my teachers say that I am making great strides."

"Zuko, it does not matter how fast you are running. What matters is that you are traveling in the right direction. A cultivated mind is not enough. Knowing is not enough. We must apply what we know to our actions every day. The will to spread good to others is not enough. We must _do_. We must want to do the right thing and follow our beliefs.

You are in a different position than other commoners. Your beliefs will change the lives of thousands, maybe millions of people in our world. Everything you do as Fire Lord will have great consequences. So you must practice mindfulness constantly. You must practice patience and courage at every moment. People do not just become brave or intelligent."

Iroh leaned towards Zuko and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Listen very carefully now Zuko. I am about to tell you one of the most powerful secrets in the world. It is a secret great enough to alter the course of time and save lives. Are you ready?"

Zuko nodded so hard that his head began to hurt.

"A man is what he believes he is. A man is what he tells himself he is…over and over again. There trick to becoming brave is to constantly be brave. The only thing needed to change our lives is to change what we think of ourselves. Many people lose who they are by listening to only what others say about them. Few people know this secret." Iroh patted Zuko on his back. "Now…you know it."

Zuko felt something when his uncle patted his back. A surge of energy, goose bumps all over his spine. Something awoken inside the boy at that moment. Most would say that it was merely awe. If Zuko had explained it, Iroh would say that he was opening up to the world.

Iroh looked behind Zuko. Some of the scholars on the grounds were looking for him.

"Okay. That's all I wanted to say. Off with you now." Iroh smiled.

Zuko stood up and bowed to him. "Thank you uncle."

"I did it because I wanted to, my…" Iroh bowed back, then bite his tongue. "…you're welcome." And then Zuko left him.

Iroh was one breath from saying "…my son".

* * *

**To Be Continued**


	84. The Outburst

**One Day Later…**

* * *

**The Outburst**

Iroh sighed. _"Another war meeting."_ He thought to himself.

Iroh did not know why Ozai insisted on him being at so many of them. Perhaps it was because, deep down, Ozai knew Iroh was experienced in the Art of War and his opinions were helpful, but Iroh suspected that Ozai just wanted to humiliate him by showing him the plans for war, to remind him of the life he once lived.

Iroh dragged his feet, not looking forward to the meeting, but his attention sparked back up when he saw his nephew walking towards the war room door.

"_What now?"_ He thought.

The young boy marched proudly towards the chamber, as if he was _supposed_ to be there, but the guards blocked his entrance and kept him out.

"Let me in!" He demanded. Iroh quickly intervened before he could get into any trouble.

"Prince Zuko…what's wrong?" He asked.

"I want to go into the war chamber, but the guard won't let me pass!" He whined. Iroh pulled him away from the armored guards.

"You're not missing anything, trust me. These meetings are dreadfully boooring." Iroh patted his shoulder, hoping that Zuko would just walk away from the meeting and forget that it ever happened.

Then Zuko did something that Iroh did not expect; he out witted him. Remembering well what his uncle had taught him yesterday, he quoted him and said…

"If I am going to rule this nation one day, don't you think I need to start learning as much as I can?" He asked with hopeful eyes.

Impressed, Iroh humbly said, "Very well. But you must promise not to speak. These old folks are a bit sensitive, you know."

"Thank you uncle." Zuko bowed.

Placing his hand on his shoulder again, Iroh led Zuko into the Fire Lord's War Room, sure that nothing bad would happen by allowing him inside.

* * *

"The Earth Kingdom defenses are concentrated here. A dangerous battalion of their strongest earth bender and fiercest warriors. So I am recommending the 41st division." The old general pushed a few wooden blocks across the map.

"But the 41st is entirely new recruits." Another man said. "How do you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?"

Smugly, the elder general said. "I…don't. They'll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack from the rear."

Iroh's eyes went cross. He could not believe how far his nation had fallen. As a young boy, he thought that his country was perfect, that it was the greatest nation ever to exist. Now he was ashamed and angry at how monstrous it had become. He knew that all of the leaders in the war room were corrupt, selfish cowards and the only reason they stayed that way was because they were left unchallenged…

"What better to use as bait then…fresh meat?" He went on.

…"_Someone should stand up to these beasts_" Iroh thought.

"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that!" The room went silent. "Those soldiers love and defend our nation. How can you betray them?" Everyone glared at Zuko, now standing, for speaking so boldly against the general's plans.

Iroh felt a rumbling from behind him and heard Ozai roaring behind his wall of flames, like a Dragon ready to devour its prey.

"ZUKO!" The Fire Lord bellowed. Zuko turned around to face him, his courage suddenly gone. "Speaking out against my General is an act of complete disrespect! How dare you open your mouth, your brazen child!"

"But…father, I…" Zuko was not allowed to finish his sentence.

"Do not say another word!" Ozai stood up. The older members gasped. The Fire Lord had gotten out of his throne!

Not knowing what else to do, Zuko lowered his head.

"You insolent fool." Ozai's eyes were full of hate. "You have disrespected ME and my war General!" Ozai paused. The room stayed silent for a very long time.

"Father, I…"

"Be quiet!" He yelled. He had paused just to frighten the young boy. "There is only one way to resolve this disrespect."

"_No!"_ Iroh screamed inside his head.

"Agni Ki!" Ozai said.

The Agni Ki was ancient tradition, passed down through hundreds of years of Fire Bending culture. It gave a man more glory than normal duels and its results were more important than that of any court or jury in the Fire Nation. If the Fire Lord issues an Agni Ki, it is _law_. No one can turn it down!

But the Prince did not shutter or gasp like the other men in the room.

Zuko raised his head and looked at the old man he had offended, who looked back at him with an angry glare.

"Ha!" Zuko laughed courageously. Iroh's eyebrows rose even higher. "I'm not afraid of him. I _will_ duel him in Agni Ki. _And_ I will defeat him."

Ozai smiled wider, knowing something that the boy did not.'

Iroh panicked. He knew firsthand how powerful Fire Generals were; after all, he was once one himself. He knew that Zuko was watching right into a trap, one that he may not walk away from. And worst of all, there was nothing he could do to help him this time.

"_No…Zuko, no! What have you done?_" Then Iroh remembered what he had told his nephew the day before and realized who was _really_ responsible for his outburst. "Agni…w_hat have **I** done?"_


	85. Before The Duel

**Before The Duel**

The moon was full. And like the changing of the moon, no one could stop what had been put into motion.

Word spread fast around the Palace that Zuko had been forced to Agni Ki.

Some said that Zuko would not survive the battle. Some people took bets on how long he would last.

Full of worry and fear, Iroh could not find peace on the night before the duel. His soul was uneasy.

Not knowing what else he could do, he snuck down through the Palace ground and went to see Zuko. He did not know what he wanted to say to him, but he ran to see his nephew. Iroh walked inside his room without knocking.

"We need to…" He walked in on Zuko with no shirt on. Red bands circled his biceps and a silk Agni Ki sheet rested on his shoulders.

"What do you think?" Zuko said with a smile.

"I think that we need to talk." Iroh sat down on his bed.

"What about?" Zuko kept his grin.

"What about?" Iroh yelled. "Zuko, people get killed in Agni Ki!"

"Oh, don't worry uncle. I'll be fine."

"I have to worry!" Iroh yelled again. "You are my nephew! I wouldn't be your uncle if I didn't worry!"

"How tough can that old general be? He's an old man."

"So am I!" Iroh reminded Zuko.

"Come on Uncle. You trained me. There's no way that he could possibly beat me. Not after everything that you have taught me."

"…that does not mean that…"

"Uncle…" Zuko sat down next to him and patted his back, something that Lu Ten used to do when he was alive. "…I'm not scared. You told me to exercise compassion and leave fighting as a last resort. I was compassionate in the war room and now that I _have_ to fight, I'm ready. I won't forget everything you taught me."

Iroh could not say anything. He felt so much pride that he was ashamed of himself. It was the kind a father feels for having a faithful son.

"I'll be okay." Zuko took the red bands off his arms. A loud snap came from both of them "It's late. I need to get my rest."

Iroh nodded. Zuko bowed honorably and Iroh felt more shame.

* * *

**The Next Day**

* * *

Many people showed up the next morning to see the Agni Ki, all eager to see a young boy fight a fragile old man. Iroh was not surprised.

"This will not end well…no matter who is victorious." He said as he watched the seats of the stadium fill.

"Oh, but it will be a grand performance." A familiar, cocky voice came from behind Iroh. Zhao walked in front of him, standing in the row closest to the dueling ring.

"Hello Captain Zhao. I did not expect you to be here." Iroh said.

"Oh, believe me; I would not miss this for the world." He smiled, smugly.

"Neither would I." Another prideful voice perked up. Azula stood right next to Zhao, leaving a little space between them so Iroh could see.

"Hello princess." Zhao said as he patted her on the top of her head. "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise, Captain." She smiled, eyes closed.

"I didn't know you two knew each other." Iroh said, glancing back and forth at the two.

"Oh, the princess and I go way back. We actually share a lot in common." Zhao said.

"That does not surprise me." Iroh said, stone faced.

"So…did you come to see Zuko die as well?" Azula asked her uncle.

"No, I did not." He paused. "Because I believe that Zuko will defeat the war general." And deep down, he did.

"Ha!" Zhao laughed.

"You don't agree?" Iroh asked.

"That will be… quite impossible." Zhao said. "Zuko is _not_ fighting the old war general."

Iroh and Azula looked at the Commander. The corners of Iroh's cheeks became heavy and he frowned, but Azula smiled with curiosity.

"…then…who _is_ he dueling?" Iroh asked.

* * *

**To Be Continued**


	86. Agni Kai

**Agni Kai**

"What! Why!" Iroh yelled.

"It is the law, Iroh. He spoke out against the Fire Lord himself." Zhao said, still mocking.

"Is no one going to tell him? He needs to be warned!" Iroh began to panic.

"He knew the consequences. He knew the rules. And yet, he chose to speak out against our leader." Zhao smiled.

"But he is just a boy! He doesn't stand a chance!"

"Quiet uncle!" Azula, standing one row ahead of Iroh, shouted at him. "He must not know until the time has come. His punishment will be what he deserves."

"You are both…how can you let this…"

Iroh did not finish, for the horns and the drums began to play. His manners and royal submissiveness kicked in and Iroh was forced to watch silently as Zuko stepped onto the Agni Kai dueling ring.

He bowed, turned around and put the silk sheet on his back. Then waited for his opponent to do the same.

"No." Iroh whispered.

And both adversaries rose to their feet.

Iroh saw Zuko's eyes enlarge when he gazed upon the face of his father at the opposing side of the battleground. He felt his heart collapse when Zuko dropped his arms and froze with fear as his father step towards him.

"Zuko…" Iroh said, wishing that it was all just a horrible dream.

Then, to make things even worse, Zuko got on his hands and knees. And began begging.

"Please, father. I only had the Fire Nation's best interests at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of term!" He lowered his head and looked away from his father, but Ozai only moved closer.

"_Get up! For Agni's sake Zuko, just get up!_" Iroh yelled in his head. He felt his heart ache.

Then Zuko got even lower to ground, begging for more mercy.

"I meant you not disrespect. I am your loyal son."

"_Zuko, no!" _Iroh could barely watch Zuko. He kept making his situation worse.

"I won't fight you." Zuko lowered his head. Iroh could see the tears fall to the stone floor.

Iroh's world went silent for a brief moment. He only heard Ozai say "…suffering will be your teacher."

Iroh could look no more. He closed his eyes as tight as he could and turned his head.

He heard Zuko screaming and felt a wave of heat surge over the crowd.

The audience began to shout, some cheering and some booing. Iroh struggled to open his eyes, scared.

For the rest of his life, he would never forget the image he saw when he gazed upon the ring.

Zuko was on his back, teeming like a fish out of water. One of his hands was in the air, reaching towards the sun, still begging Agni for mercy. Steam rose from his left eye, which Iroh could not see from where he was sitting. He heard the boy moan and cough. He watched him helplessly rock from side to side, writhing in pain.

And Ozai…

…Ozai just stood over his defeated son…proud.


	87. Wounds That Will Never Heal

**Wounds That Will Never Heal**

Iroh rushed past everyone, pushing them out of his way without care.

A man and a woman walked out of Zuko's room, both shaking their heads.

"How is he?" Iroh asked the man without introducing himself or bowing.

"General Iroh?" The doctor was taken off guard.

"How is my nephew!" Iroh shouted. The doctor jumped.

"He's…not well."

"How bad is it? Is he in pain?" Iroh felt water gather around the corners of his eyes.

"Pain…no. But that's the bad part. The reason he doesn't feel tremendous pain…is because most of the nerves were burned off. As well as his skin." Iroh gasped. "He can still use his left eye. But his face is extremely sore. We had a lot of trouble moving him up here."

"He will have a scar?" Iroh asked. "Will there be any permanent damage?"

"Yes. He will have a very large, very noticeable scar."

Iroh inhaled deeply and tried to suppress his tears.

"May I go in?" Iroh asked. The doctor looked at the nurse. Their expressions were blank.

"Um…I don't think that would be wise, sir."

"Is he asleep?" Iroh asked.

"No. He can't sleep. But…he…" The doctor scratched his head, worried. "…oh boy, how do I say this."

"What is it?" Iroh asked.

"Well…he demanded that we keep _you_ away from him." The doctor lowered his head. "I'm sorry sir. I meant no offense. But he _is_ the prince. We have to obey him before you."

"Aaahhh!" Zuko screamed from behind his closed door.

Iroh began breathing heavily as Zuko wailed, suffering. Not able to hear anymore, Iroh left.

"What have I done?" Iroh asked himself…and Lu Ten. Iroh was not a doctor, but he knew that there would definitively be permanent damage to the boy, much worse than a scar.

Once again, he was helpless.


	88. Deciding the Boy’s Fate

**Deciding the Boy's Fate**

"Prince Zuko…must be punished." Ozai said. His advisors nodded. Iroh gasped.

"Yes sir."

"Yes sir."

"Yes sir."

"Are you mad?" Iroh asked with anger. The advisor's heads jerked towards him, eyes widen in amazement.

"You heard me." Ozai said firmly.

"Why?" Iroh stood up. The advisors looked worried. If Ozai would punish Zuko so quickly, they thought that he would do the same to Iroh. "He is hurt. He is in enormous pain. He's learned his lesson! What more do you have to prove?"

"He has _not_ learned his lesson!" Ozai slammed his fist on the table they all sat near. "Not until I say he has learned it!"

"Just keep him out of the war room. He's been completely humiliated…by his poor excuse for a father, I might add." Iroh was too angry to be afraid of Ozai's wrath, and Ozai was too concerned with Zuko to punish Iroh.

"You know that this is no longer about his outburst!" Ozai huffed. "By refusing to fight me, he showed weakness and cowardice. He has brought shame to not only himself, but his family."

"Shame? Shame?" Iroh gasped. Before he could say more, Ozai said something so diabolical and so insane that Iroh could not believe it.

"If he is going to be such a weakling, Zuko must be removed from this family. Permanently!" Ozai stood up, hands crossed. "Execution!"

The advisors hesitated, but then said "Yes sir."

"Execution!" Iroh yelled. "You are out of your mind!" Ozai's angry eyes glared at Iroh.

"How dare you speak to me like that! I am your Fire Lord…"

"You are also his father! You are supposed to keep him safe, not send him to be hanged!"

"One more rebellious notion like that, my brother, and I will have you executed with him."

"Aaaahh!" In a furious burst, Iroh punched the table. With a flash of amazing blue and white flames, the table disintegrated. One second it was there, and the next there was only a pile of black and white ashes. The advisors could only jump to avoid the flames, but they were not burned at all.

Ozai shook when he saw his brother's strength, then swallowed a lump in his throat. One advisor thought silently to himself _"That's why Ozai has yet to punish Iroh. He is afraid of him."_

Iroh put his hand over his eyes and paced, mumbling something to himself.

"Alright…" Iroh said, holding both hands open. "…the problem is that Zuko is shaming the family. It's not him, it's that he is here, correct?"

"Um…yes." Ozai pretended to be confident, but he was clearly rattled by Iroh's eruption.

"Then…" Iroh gulped. He had forgotten his goal of gaining forgiveness for Zuko. His new priority was to make sure that Zuko survived this ordeal. "…do not kill him. Banish him. Send him away. Keep him out of the castle, even the city if that's what it takes."

Ozai opened his mouth, ready to speak, but stopped. He thought Iroh's proposition over. After a few moments, he smiled.

"Perhaps that is a good idea." He said. "After all, death would be a relief for a miserable creature like Zuko. However, you are right Iroh. I am his father. So I will not be without forgiveness. I will allow him to prove himself."

Iroh smiled, then frowned, knowing that there would be a catch.

"What?"

"Zuko will be banished…from the entire nation!"

"What?"

"But I will allow Zuko to come home…when, and only when, he finds the greatest threat to the Fire Nation."

"You want him to destroy the Earth Kingdom?" Iroh asked.

"No." Ozai leaned towards Iroh, mockingly. "I want him to find…the Avatar." Iroh's eyes widened. "Since you have taught him so much about the legendary being, he should have no trouble locating him."

"That is as crazy as…"

"That is my decree!" Ozai shouted. "My word is law!" Ozai began swinging his left hand, signaling the scribe to take notes. "From this moment on, Zuko is stripped of his honor. He has no honor at all! He is not like a man without clothing. He is like a man without skin! And his honor will not be restored, nor will he be allowed to reenter the Fire Nation until he finds and captures the Avatar!"

Iroh's was stunned.

"Will he be allowed to go to the Earth Kingdom colonies, my lord?" One man asked.

"That's fine, I suppose. He will be given one ship and a crew."

"But sir…ahem, all of our ships are needed in for our navy."

"Give him a discontinued model. A small one. A runt like him doesn't need a grand vessel."

"Will be alone sir? I mean, he will have the crew, but will no one else go with him."

Knowing exactly what Iroh would do, Ozai looked at Iroh and grinned. Iroh glared. Ozai had manipulated him once again.

"I will go with the boy." Iroh said. The advisors looked at him, but didn't say a word.

"Excellent!" Ozai clapped his hands together. "So…now that that is settled, what is next on today's agenda."

The Fire Lord continued his meeting without showing any signs of remorse or sympathy. He had won and, to him, that was all that mattered.


	89. Hate Transforms People

**Hate Transforms People**

"Is he awake?" Iroh asked the ship's doctor after the hulled Zuko onto the tiny vessel that Ozai had given them. The place Zuko would call his 'home' for a long time.

"Yes he is, sir." The doctor nodded. "I know that _now_ you have the authority to go in, but he still wishes to be alone."

"I know. But I need to…" Silencing himself, Iroh bowed. "Thank you." He passed the doctor and went into Zuko's new room. His cold, dark, empty room, which was more like a jail cell than a home.

He was in bed, staring up at the ceiling with the one clean eye he had left. A few candles lit the dreary scene. They rocked on the table as the ship bobbed on the ocean waves, moving the light with them in short waves of brightness and shadow.

Zuko did not move. He stared up at the ceiling without a smile or a frown on his face.

"Zuko?" Iroh whispered. Zuko didn't say anything. His eyes winched.

Iroh inched towards him and sat down next to his bed.

"Zuko…has anyone told you what your father has decided?"

"They told me that I am banished." Zuko continued to stare at the ceiling. His eyes tightened. "They told me that finding the Avatar was the only way I could restore my honor."

"…yes." Iroh lowered his head. "I know that things are…difficult right now." Zuko laughed through his closed lips. "But…I am still here Zuko. I am not going to abandon you. Ever. I promise."

Zuko's head rocked gently, eyes still fixated upward.

"You know…" He laughed once before saying more. "…after the meeting…I was going to tell you that you were my hero. I was going to tell you that I want to be _like_ you. You changed my life"

"Zuko…"

"BE QUIET!" Zuko shouted, kicking his feet under his sheets. Iroh felt a sharp pain pierce his heart.

The boy slowly turned his head towards Iroh. The soft bandage on his left eye showed itself and aimed at the old man's face. In the right eye, all Iroh could see was hatred.

"I know now that you changed me for worse. If I hadn't have practice your ways of…peace…" Zuko spat as he spoke, spilling out his anger. "…the ways of kindness…if it wasn't for you…I wouldn't be like this."

The skin around Zuko's working eye turned red and he began to weep. Iroh looked away from him, ashamed.

"I can't feel it you know. See this one?" Zuko pointed to his working eye. "I am crying out of this eye. But the other one…I can't feel anything but pain. All because of you."

"Please…Zuko…" Iroh pleaded. Zuko paused to let him speak, but Iroh did not have the stomach to tell him that he was wrong.

"Nothing to say now, huh old man? I had things to say." Zuko pulled himself up and leaned against his pillow. "I bowed down before my father…thinking that he'd show me some mercy if I said the right thing. You once told me that forgiving others was the most important thing you could do in life. You once told me that being gentle was greater than being powerful."

Iroh's fingers closed, tugging the cloth of his pants.

"And now look where I am!" Zuko yelled.

Iroh saw the look on the boy's face change just then. He was sad when he began speaking, then in one second his hate took hold of grabbed him. His one working eye was not gentle or innocent anymore. It was fiery and full of wrath. He looked like an animal that had been abused for years before finally being cast away from its master.

"If I hadn't of listen to you, maybe I'd still have two eyes." More tears fell." If I hadn't followed your…_weak_ ideals, then maybe I would be like this!" Zuko pointed to his scar and accidentally touched the thin bandage. "OW!"

"Zuko…" Iroh reached over to help him, but Zuko slapped his hand away.

"Go away! I don't ever want to see you again. Keep your advice to yourself, you stupid old fool! Leave me!"

Zuko turned away from Iroh. Zuko was crying almost hysterically. It seemed that his right was crying twice as hard to compensate.

Iroh dared not speak back to Zuko. Before he could, Iroh stood up and left.

He closed Zuko's door slowly. When it finally shut, he heard his nephew scream. Iroh put his hand on the steel wall and sighed.

Iroh felt sadness squeeze his very soul, but he did not cry. He forced himself not to. He had already shed so many tears over the loss of his first son; he did not want to shed more over the loss of his second.


	90. Goodbye, Brother

**This chapter takes place ****minutes**** after the last one.**

* * *

**Goodbye Brother**

Iroh packed only two bags with him. They were filled only with clothes, a tea set, some herbs and a little food. He did not take any of his books with him. Their knowledge was inside him now and carrying them around (at his age) would be like carrying a weight around with a broken arm.

As he finished packing, Iroh heard footsteps behind him. He did not turn around. He knew who it was.

"Well, well, well. Finally move out, I see." Ozai said. Iroh didn't answer. He could feel Ozai's smile from across the room. "At least you'll be taking the little runt off my hands for me." Iroh stayed silent. "Just don't let this one die too."

Finally, Iroh confronted him.

"I know it was you Ozai." Iroh said. Ozai froze. "I know that you are the reason my boy is dead."

Neither of them said anything for a few moments.

"Well…" Ozai spoke up. "…it's a good thing that you think killing a bad thing. Otherwise, you might have actually done something about it by now." He continued to mock him. "You really are weak, aren't you?" He smiled, evilly.

Then Iroh approached his brother, walking in a very particular way. All younger siblings know _that_ style of walking, when their old brothers do it. Shoulders up, muscles pumped, eyes full of intimidating force. It is the way someone approached someone just before they attacked them.

Knowing the aggressive body language all too well, Ozai took a few nervous steps backwards. All of the Fire Lord's martial arts skills vanished for a brief moment.

Iroh looked at him closely. His eyes met Ozai's. All could see in him was a spoiled little boy who didn't know how to use the power and gifts he had been given. He was angry at Ozai, he thought that he was a monster…but despite all of his flaws Ozai, Iroh just could not _hate_ him.

Even after decades of rivalry and competition, Iroh still saw his little brother when he looked at the mighty Fire Lord.

Iroh moved in close …and hugged him tightly.

"Mark my words…brother…" Iroh hissed into his ear. "…I know of meaning of real strength. But I swear…if not for that crown on your head, I would have killed you years ago. If not for vengeance, then just for justice. All you are, and all you ever will be,…is weak."

He squeezed him tightly once more.

"Goodbye, brother. I'm going to miss you." Iroh spoke to the child that Ozai once was, the innocent boy that the old man had fought so hard to bring back.

Iroh pushed Ozai away from him and stepped out of the room. Ozai exhaled, relieved that he was gone. Even as the ruler of the strongest nation in the world, his older brother was still able to scare him.

* * *

The sun hit the side of the palace in such a mystical way that afternoon. It shinned and glimmered and blinded Iroh, making him see colors behind his eye lids. It looked beautiful. No passing ship would have been able to tell how much corruption and sin lay inside its walls.

"We're all ready sir." One of the sailors said to Iroh. Iroh leaned on the railing of the small vessel and breathed in the bayside air.

He kept staring at the palace. "Cast off."

"You heard him men! Cast off!" A mighty **HONK **came out of the ship's horn and they began to move.

As they left the port, Iroh looked at the old room at the high tower that used to be his own. He might have imagined it, but Iroh swore that he saw a young man in the window, waving goodbye to him, as if he would never see him again. Iroh saw a younger version of himself, saying farewell to the old man that he had become.

"Things can never go back." Iroh hung his head and looked away.

He knew then that he'd never see his old home, or Ozai, again.


	91. The Scar

**The Scar**

"Be careful." Zuko ordered.

"Of course." Iroh nodded. He reached for the tape on the bandages and slowly pulled it off. Zuko let his uncle do it because he could not do it himself; his skin was too delicate and sensitive.

Iroh rolled the few bindings off his face and let them hit the floor.

He tried not to, but Iroh could not help but gasp when he saw Zuko's new face. Zuko swallowed, knowing that it would not be pretty.

"Mirror." He barked.

"Prince Zuko, I don't think…"

"Give me a mirror!" He shook his hand, demanding. Iroh looked at him, worried beyond reason, then handed him the small hand mirror.

Zuko inhaled deeply, then slowly pulled the mirror up to his face.

He didn't say anything. Iroh just watched him struggle with what he saw.

"Aaahh!" Zuko screamed and smashed the mirror against his bed stand.

* * *

It was ugly. Red and raw, as savage as the man who gave it to him. With Zuko's eyebrow gone, the deformed eye looked like it was snarling at everyone. It was as if the Spirit of Hatred had permanently branded Zuko with its unfair punishment.

Thankfully, both of Zuko's eyes worked; the gold around his pupil still shinned. Yet, through his perspective, everything Zuko looked at now seemed just as ugly as he did. Everyone looked less trustworthy, every_one_ looked more selfish.

It was sin given from father to son, one that would permanently corrupt the innocent child who did not deserve to carry such a burden.


	92. No More Mercy

**No More Mercy**

Fourteen days had passed since they boat left Fire Nation territory. Now they were moving across the sea, heading towards the Earth Kingdom.

Iroh had forgotten how beautiful the sea could be. Though he was still mourning for Zuko's suffering, he found himself staring at the ocean instead of meditating. It gave him a sense of peace.

The peace he felt was not from the silence of the endless waves. He had plenty of silence in the past two weeks. Zuko refused to speak to him, even during meals. Every quiet second that Zuko sent towards him was torture. Zuko only opened his mouth now and then to insult his uncle.

Iroh stared out at the ocean, wishing that the world was as peaceful and sensible as it. When one wave went up, another went down. When the wind blew, the ocean moved gently but always returned to its old shape. It was that simple. Iroh wished life was like that as well.

_**Clank**!_ A metal door slammed open behind Iroh.

He turned and saw the (former) prince walk towards him, fists clenched. Zuko stood next to Iroh and stared at him. The scar seemed to stare at Iroh by itself.

Iroh looked back at Zuko calmly, without any prejudice.

"May I help you, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked.

"I am the commander of this ship." Zuko said.

"I know you are."

"And whatever I say, goes. So you _will_ continue to train me."

"Excuse me?"

"You may be an old fool, but you have experience with Fire Bending. I need that knowledge! I need to know how to be merciless."

"I will not teach you if those are your reasons." Iroh said. Zuko growled at him.

"If you want to be of any use to me, then you _will_ teach me. It's the only use that you will ever have."

Iroh wanted to talk back to him, lecture him on the ways of peace again, but he knew that nothing would change the boy's mind. Not now. Not after what he had been through.

And he knew that the only way Zuko would ever listen to him again is if he gained his trust. And trust was always gained in little steps.

"…very well." Iroh nodded. "You may call me Master tomorrow when he resume your training."

"I will call you what I want to!" Zuko snarled. "And we will begin training today!" He stamped his foot.

Iroh paused, then said "As you wish."


	93. Travels of an Old man III

**Travels of an Old man III**

Iroh stood at the helm of the ship, breathing in the salty air deeply. The boat rocked, soothingly. The gulls laughed at him and the spray of the ocean tickled his face.

"Uncle! I need you in here!" Zuko yelled from the inside of the ship.

"One minute Prince Zuko!" Iroh yelled back. He closed his eyes and felt the sun hit his face. The wind pushed his beard into his mouth along with a few drops of salty water.

After so much needless order in the palace, chaos at Ba Sing Se, suffering in his own and wisdom throughout the spirit world, Iroh was finally at peace.

The ocean…vast and unending, like the paths one can follow in life, he thought, like knowledge and wisdom, like life itself.

Iroh could hear so many metaphors echo from it, so many different ways of looking at the majestic body of water.

He swore to protect and help his nephew find and capture the Avatar, but Iroh couldn't help but be overtaken by the majesty of the sea, his oldest love. Once again, it called to him.

Zuko was about to begin his journey to find where he belonged in the world, but Iroh had finally returned to that place. And it wasn't the Palace or the Fire Nation at all. It was the sea, the watery bridge that connected all nations. The open, eternal plain that knew no flag or law.

It was his true home. Not just the ocean, but the world itself.

After so much pain, he was finally happy again.


	94. Reflection

**Officially, this is the last **_**prelude**_** chapter. The remaining chapters will take place within the series.**

**This may be one of my greatest works yet. The message in his story is hidden well. No one may understand it right away, but that is why it is such a great secret.**

* * *

_When you stop trying to understand, then you will know without understanding..._

* * *

**Reflection**

Zuko kept on huffing out flames from his mouth, struggling to keep warm. The chilly air around the Southern Water Tribe was too much for him to bare.

"This place is a hell hole!" He declared, marching in circles.

Iroh wore his usual loose robes, not feeling the cold at all, and watched his nephew helplessly pace back and forth. He hated the cold air of the South Pole. He hated everything these days. People, the weather, his uncle; he hated it all.

"How can you sit there without freezing to death?" Zuko demanded to know.

"Simple." Iroh said. "I just don't think about how cold it is."

"That's crazy! The cold is the only thing to think about in this waste land."

"Zuko…look around you. Do you know how few from the Fire Nation get to see this? We're practically making history as we sail." Iroh held his hand out to show Zuko the beautiful ocean, the giant blocks of floating ice and the crystal blue skies….

…but all Zuko saw was cold water, icebergs and clouds far away.

"I can't stand this! How do these water tribe savages survive out here?"

Iroh sighed. The South Pole was beautiful, and his own nephew refused to even try to appreciate its wonder.

Iroh looked over the side of the boat and saw his shadow reflect back at him in the ripples. He knew that he was old, but he felt so young. He was seeing the world again and he loved it, even if he was alone in his happiness.

"It's a real shame…" Iroh spoke to himself. "…that there is so much beauty in the world, yet most people don't even stop to look."

"ARGH!" Zuko yelled. Overusing his Breath of Fire, he accidentally burned his hand. Iroh sighed again. "I will be in my room. Don't disturb me unless it is important!"

Zuko slammed the door behind him as he left. The crew didn't say anything. They knew better than to speak back to the prince when he was angry.

Iroh stood up and looked over the edge of the ship. The water of the South Pole was different. It was not violent and dark like the open ocean between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. It was calm and clear, like it was made of glass.

Iroh smiled and stared into it for a few carefree moments. He smiled at his reflection and saw it smile back at him.

Then he saw something strange. For a moment, he thought it was his (rumored) senility kicking in, but when he looked at his reflection he saw more than just a chubby old man. He saw…everything.

Everything that he ever he was looked back at him. His story, his life, all of the things that made the old man he saw looking back at him.

He saw his gray hair turn black and his topnotch grow shorter. He saw his wrinkles vanish and his stomachs shrink.

He saw the damn wall of Ba Sing Se, mocking him.

He saw the Palace that imprisoned him, and the old tree and koi pond he used to sit next beside.

He saw the hours of training and hardship and his power grow from a small candle to a raging bonfire.

He saw the Spirit World and Ping, that annoying Death Sprite. He saw the Dragons fly through the water like fish. He saw the ghost of Avatar Roku and the numerous phantoms that drove him crazy...

…and then he saw Lu Ten. Not the solider who had left for war. Iroh saw his little boy running through fields of grass, laughing, smiling, alive and safe. His blood legacy and the greatest treasure he had ever known. Iroh watched him flirt with young girls and fire bend and talk about the world. Iroh couldn't believe how alike they were.

And he saw Meng Ha, his wife. The woman who gave him such joy in such a short time. He saw her smiling warmly, stroking his hair like she used to. She was his Golden Age, his best friend, the love of his life…greater even than tea. She was only there for three years and those three years gave Iroh more joy than any other time in his life.

And Siku, his master. A man of great wisdom and little patience. A man who loved his country, but looked down on the other nations. If there was one lesson the old master taught Iroh, it was that adults were not perfect. Or more accurately, that _people_ are not perfect. He was an old man who knew so much, yet still had much to learn.

And Ozai, when he was a little boy. Iroh didn't see the fights or the yelling or the rivalry. He saw only the good times they had together. Holidays, birthdays, visiting their grandfather. All were done back when Ozai was too young to be angry, too childlike to be anything _but _a child. Iroh still believed that, somewhere, the little boy still lived.

And then…he saw himself. Or rather, the young man that Iroh had left behind. The boy who loved to tell jokes and sneak out late at night. The woman chaser, the singer, the dancer, the adventure without any adventures to go on.

He was young and daring. He was a little foolish, but not stupid. He always smiled and always found a way to make that smile infectious.

If Iroh had told that Young Man of the things that would have happened to him in five short decades, that Young Man would never have believed it. He would have just laughed, then told a joke, then ran off to find some thing else to do.

"Is he gone?" Iroh asked. He didn't ask anyone specifically. He was just asking. Perhaps he wanted the Young Man to answer, but he just saw Him laugh and run off.

Iroh sighed. The visions slowly faded and, once again, he saw an old man looking back at him.

He could not believe that life had taken him to where it had. He felt so confused. So much had happened and things had changed so much. His journey had been so long…yet he was not finished.

"My life. It was…" Iroh said, but paused.

He looked back at the reflection. The visions did not come back. Iroh had to remember them. He thought carefully of his next word, assessing his life's work and journey, his suffering and his sins. He thought of every step he took and every person he helped.

And then it happened.

His face became like the sky; cloudy, but then he looked like the sun has burst though and cast light upon him. _The Truth_ revealed itself! The everlasting, most important Truth that Iroh had been looking for his whole life. Suddenly, he realized what It was and why no one could ever explain It to him in words. He could not either. He just…felt it and knew that he had finally found It. It could only be felt, never described. It could only be discovered after a lifetime of experiencing everything, feeling all of the joy and pain that comes with being human.

Iroh shed a single tear. Finally, he cried out of happiness.

"…my life was all…so wonderful."

Iroh's thirsty for wisdom was quenched. He finally found what he was looking for, and it was worth the wait.


	95. Philosophy: Gentleness

**I have decided to re-upload these stories, as I have edited them and written a few more.**

**AND...I have one last trick up my sleeve. ^_^ Enjoy.**

* * *

**_Gentleness is the key to survival…_**

"What?!" Zuko asked, holding his stance, eager to practice more fire bending techniques. Their ship rocked up and down on the chilly waves of South Pole. The silence of the frozen lands carried Iroh's voice to his nephew's ears with ease.

"Zuko…a violent life will have a violent ending. There is only so much damage one person can do until damage falls back upon them. However, a gentle man knows when to yield and leave a fight. And if you leave a fight, you live! You live to fight another day."

Zuko listened to Iroh, intrigued by what he was hearing.

"A gentle man knows how to make other people love him. So, should the need to fight ever come again…his friends will be his shield. Love will be his shield. And he will not have to raise a finger to win any battle. So, my nephew, do not put too much faith in your muscles. One day they will fail you. But gentleness can be used at any age."

Zuko looked down. His eyes softened for a moment. Then quickly became steely.

"The Avatar will not be so gentle when I attack him." Zuko fired a blast of flames into the sky. "So I won't be gentle to him either."

Iroh sighed. He knew Zuko's inner turmoil would not be fixed easily, but the prince was making it harder.


	96. Philosophy: Good and Evil

* * *

**_That which is labeled good…is evil_**

"Run that by me again?" Zuko looked confused. He sat in the haul of their ship. His uncle had decided to have a conversation with him to pass the time on their way to Kyoshi Island, which they began to sail to after hearing the Avatar might be there.

"You see, my nephew, there are many different methods and paths to follow in this world. But the very moment you declare one of those ways to be infallibly good, you simultaneously declare any other way to be flawed. You declare it to be the opposite of good, which is evil."

"So? What's wrong with that?" Zuko sneered at his Uncle. "If it's right one way, why bother with any other way?

"Zuko…life is constantly changing. Change is the only thing that is permanent in life. Just because one idea works today, that does not necessarily mean it will work tomorrow. And just because something _doesn't_ work today, does not mean that it will not work later.

But by declaring a single idea to be 'good' or 'the only way'…to say that it is incapable of being improved upon…that prevents someone from experimenting with other solutions that may, in fact, be more effective.

And then that _good way_ will be like a weight tied on your leg, only holding you down rather than giving you strength. Many wise men have destroyed themselves by refusing to let go of stale and out-of-date ideals."

"I see…" Zuko said.

"You do?" Iroh was surprised.

"Yes. If I want to get what I want, then I need to think of different ways to get it. There's lots of ways to capture the Avatar. I just need to be creative. Thank you Uncle. For once, your ramblings came in handy."

Iroh groaned as the young Prince left. He was not getting through to him.

* * *

**This story will have the last 6 stories in Tales of The Dragon of the West, plus 4 new ones, so keep your eyes pealed.**

* * *


	97. Philosophy: Making Mistakes

_**Mistakes are our greatest teachers…**_

A thunder bolt clapped as Iroh finished his sentence. Zuko did not budge; Iroh was not sure if he heard him. The boy had not said anything since the storm started, still upset over his last encounter with the Avatar.

"Zuko…" Iroh swallowed a lump in his throat. "…I know that you are not happy right now."

He stayed silent, hiding in the darkness.

"Don't take it so hard, Zuko. You have done nothing to be ashamed of. As I just said, a mistake is a lesson in disguise. There are a million lessons in defeat, but none in victory. You have actually become stronger through this, even if you don't realize it yet Are you listening to me?"

Zuko didn't say a word. Iroh gulped again and remembered the cursed wall at Ba Sing Se.

"I know what it is like to fail, Zuko." He said, clenching his fists.

Zuko rolled over and glance at his uncle, finally hearing him out.

"I know how much it hurts. But it is not how many times we fall that count." Iroh put his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "What matters is how many times we get back up. When we make the decision to not run away or surrender, that is when we change our lives. If you want to stay down, then fine. If you want to get back up, I will help you. I promise Zuko…as long as you don't give up, I will stay by your side."

Zuko stared at Iroh for a moment, then looked away, not saying a word.

Iroh took his hand off his shoulder, trying not to sigh.

He stood up and stepped away from Zuko's bed.

"…thank you Uncle." Zuko said softly just before he left his room.


	98. Philosophy: Enemies

**_There is no enemy…_**

"What?" Zuko gasped, flabbergasted. What his uncle had told him didn't make any sense.

Zuko had been stealing from the local Earth Kingdom village. Everyday he came back to their cave with more expensive items. Iroh knew that the reason Zuko felt he was justified in theft was because he still believed that the Earth Kingdom was their enemy. So the wise old man felt that Zuko needed to hear some advanced teachings, whether he was ready for them or not.

"There is no enemy, in this world or the next." Iroh sipped his tea, waiting to hear Zuko respond, but he heard nothing. Zuko sat patiently, waiting to hear why his Uncle would say something so odd.

"Well…" Iroh put his tea cup down. "…we are Fire Nation. The Avatar is our enemy. But from where he is standing, he is the hero and we are the enemy. The concept of 'hero' and 'enemy' are subjective terms. They are made-up, created by our own imaginations whenever struggle arises."

The Prince continued to listen.

"The only way someone can justify clearly evil acts is if they label the victim of those dark deeds as _an enemy_. Therefore, my nephew, that idea of labeling people as a true villain is unfair and foolish. For the Avatar is our enemy but only because we say he is. But if you were to take that label away from him, he'd just be a human being…like you and I."

Zuko looked at the ground and thought about what his Uncle had said. Iroh could see that he was carefully pondering his words, clashing them against what his own father had taught him.

A few moments later, the Prince stood up.

"You're a crazy old man." He said and left the cave.

Iroh sighed. He sensed that his nephew's frustration was only growing.


	99. Philosophy Alliegence

**_Under the Heavens, there is but one family…_**

"Uncle…" Zuko's eyes narrowed at the old man. He was not willing to hear yet another speech, even though Iroh was the one teaching him today. Zuko had wanted to learn how to redirect lightning, not more unless "wisdom of his elders", as Iroh called it.

"Zuko…you need to understand this." Iroh said, almost demanding that his nephew listen.

Zuko crossed his arms and grunted.

Iroh took a stick and drew two circles.

"This…" He poked one. "…represents the Fire Nation. There other, the Earth Kingdom. They are called Fire and Earth because people say they are. But look closer. Both are just dirt. The Earth Kingdom colonies are our property only because we say they are. But those people belong to only One. _Our_ people belong to only One. Every human in this world is part of the same family. Indifference to our fellow man causes intense suffering. We are all brothers and sisters to one another, and that includes the richest nobleman and the poorest beggar. That includes the strongest fighter and the weakest monk…"

Zuko was looking away from his uncle, ignoring the enlightened words of his elder.

"…that includes a banished prince and an widely accepted Avatar." Iroh said, desperate to reach him.

Zuko jumped up and spat smoke in his uncle's face.

"You're a crazy! You don't know what you are talking about, and if you weren't born into this family, you'd be nothing! You'd be a beggar in the streets!" Zuko turned his back on his uncle, stamping his feet as he left.

Sorrow covered Iroh's face, but not because of Zuko's insult. Iroh was sad because he felt the pain inside his nephew. He knew that, if he did not change his ways, when he reached the crossroads of his destiny…he would not make the right choice.


	100. Philosophy: Happiness

_**Happiness is a good home, good food…and a beautiful girl waiting to see you…**_

Iroh smiled goofily as he helped Zuko fix up his hair. He could see his nephew blushing in the mirror, wondering what Jin would think when she saw his new hairdo.

"I don't see you smiling Zuko. Er, I mean Lee." Iroh's grin lessened as he combed Zuko's bangs back. "Honestly, I think _that_ is a kind of happiness that a man can work towards and not be disappointed. Having someone who worries when you do not come home on time is a human necessity, even if most do not realize it. A warm home filled with love, a table with something hot to eat, and a pretty girl smiling at you…tell me, what could be better than that?"

"Anything at all." Zuko moaned.

"Come on now. Do you know how many people don't have any of those things? No home, no food. Then…there are people who have _plenty _of food and a big house but no loved ones, and they are still miserable. Do not take what you have for granted my nephew, or it will vanish before your eyes."

"Can you please just finish?" Zuko begged Iroh.

"Don't be so sour. You are going to see a beautiful woman tonight. You better be nice to her, she's a good customer."

"Uh huh." Zuko lowered his head between his shoulders.

"All done. You look…" Iroh paused. His nephew looked incredibly dorky. "…nice."

"Tch." Zuko huffed out a sound and headed towards the tea shop's exit.

"Wait!" Iroh pulled out a small parchment from his pocket and shoved it into Zuko's hand. "That is a coupon for a free cup of tea. So the girl will definitively come back to see you."

"Yeah, yeah." Zuko didn't make eye contact.

"Okay." Iroh brushed off Zuko's shoulders, just to be safe, and his nephew sighed. "Go get her Lee."

Zuko rolled his eyes and left.

"I want a boy for my first grandchild!" Iroh shouted, purposely trying to embarrass him.

"You're not my father!" Zuko yelled, cheeks red.

Iroh's heart skipped a beat when he heard Zuko say that. Once again, Iroh was reminded of that painful truth. No matter how much advice he gave Zuko, no matter how many times he helped him, Zuko was not his son.


	101. Philosophy: Choice

**_It is not what a man _**_can_**_ do, but what a man _**_chooses _**_to do…_**

"Uncle, stop." Zuko was getting angrier with him by the second.

Though Iroh was trapped inside the glowing green crystals, his spirit persisted.

Even when they were miles underneath the palace of the Earth King, they could not escape Azula's madness. She had followed Zuko and poisoned her brother's mind with a twisted offer to join her. Iroh saw how interested Zuko seemed when he heard his sister's proposal and he knew that this, at the crossroads of his destiny, was the last chance Iroh had to help his nephew make the right choice.

"Zuko…do not believe what Azula had said to you. You do not have to listen to her just because you are her brother or the prince. Your title is not what determines who you become. Your wealth, your power…it's all meaningless compared to thing."

"Uncle…"

"A man is what he chooses to be. It is _your_ choice Zuko. It had always been _your_ choice! You are the only person who has been making yourself feel angry and sad and guilty. And your refusal to let go of your desires is the real source of your suffering. You have more power than you realize. All you have to do…"

"Uncle…" Zuko felt his impatience turn to anger.

"…is just take control! Just ask yourself 'what is the right thing to do'. You know the answer, you always have. I believe in you Zuko. I can see your mother's eyes when I look at you, and…"

"BE QUIET!!!" Zuko yelled at the wise old man with a thunderous cry. "You are a stupid, hypocritical old fool! All you ever do is lecture on what other people should do, but what have you done that is so great? What has the great Dragon of the West done in his entire life that would be considered good? Slay the last two dragons? Break down the walls of Ba Sing Se and kill every Earth Kingdom warrior who got in his way? Let his son die right in front of him and come home a loser?!"

Zuko's face was distorted with rage. His whole expression was as ugly as the scar over his eye.

"Fine! If it's a choice that you expect me to make…then I _will_ choose for myself." Zuko walked away from his uncle, down the path that Azula had left for him.

"Zuko!" Iroh yelled out one last time, but he knew it was too late. He knew his nephew was already far beyond his reach.


	102. Philosophy: Knowing Everything

**"_A wise man…does NOT know…"_**

"So…this is your room. I guess, ya know…for now." Sokka said.

Zuko slammed his bag down on the old mattress, ready to relax.

"Unpack. Lunch…soon. Uh…welcome aboard." Sokka nervously spoke his enemy who had suddenly become his ally. Zuko looked back at him, smiled and nodded, but did not say anything. Sokka left, feeling very awkward.

The former prince searched through his pack. With him, he carried his swords, a change of clothes, a bag of Fire Flakes. Nothing of real value…except for one thing.

He pulled out an ink painting of his uncle, back when he was a 'proud' member of the Fire Nation, back when he ever present in Zuko's life.

Zuko smiled when he saw his uncle's face, unable to forget the kind of man he was. The last time Zuko was at the Western Air Temple, his uncle had told him something. He shared with him some great wisdom. Zuko did not understand what he meant back then, back when he was consumed by rage and frustration. But now that his mind was clear and that he was on the right path, he knew what his uncle meant.

"_If I have to, I will spend everyday of the rest of life hunting the Avatar." Zuko looked down. "I know it's my destiny to capture him." The young prince felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and then heard kind words flow into his ears._

"_You know Prince Zuko, destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out, but if you keep an open mind…and an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny some day." Iroh smiled at him. For the first time since his father scarred him, Zuko smiled back. Iroh figured that he should keep going while he had the boy in a good mood._

"_I have discovered my destiny." Iroh continued. "It took me most of my life to realize what it was. But the funny thing was that I always __**thought**__ I knew. Thinking that I knew the answer to everything prevented me from learning new things, things that may have helped me long ago. After all, just because something is correct in one situation, does not mean that it will be correct in another. The truth was that I did not know much of anything, and I will never know __**every**__thing."_

_Iroh eyes shifted towards his nephew. Zuko was patiently waiting for him to say more._

"_I have been alive for…well, quite some time. But I will continue to learn till the day I die. There are so many things to learn, so many places to go, so many stories to tell…" Iroh paused. "If you lived for a million years, you'd still never hear all of the stories, all of the adventures this world has to offer. Your knowledge, your wisdom, your skills…they can only improve if you acknowledge that the road ahead of you is endless. If you stop walking down that road, then you will never progress. So, understand Zuko…a wise man does **NOT** know. A wise man knows, whether he is a young boy or an old man…that he still has much to learn."_

Zuko smiled, remembering all that his uncle had done for him, everything that he taught him, and how he never gave up on Zuko…even when Zuko had given up on himself.

He remembered the endless stories his uncle told him, some that seemed too incredible to be real. The tales of The Dragon of The West, as farfetched as they often seemed, were more than just a collection of fables.

It was a man. It was a life. It was the choices he made, his imperfections, his flaws, his failures. It was a road that was very difficult to travel, but worth the journey.

And now, Zuko was about to walk down his own road. Iroh had pointed him in the right direction.


	103. Philosophy: Being a Leader

_**Manage your own life properly, and you can manage an entire nation…**_

Iroh poured Zuko tea, even though he didn't ask for a refill. The Jasmine Dragon had a rule of free refills to men as important as the Fire Lord.

"Uncle, please don't give me a parable now. I really need some help." Zuko asked him for advice, genuinely needing it. "I mean…if you will stay here, all the way in the Earth Kingdom…" Zuko swallowed a big lump in his throat. "…I may never see you again. I need some advice. One last bit of advice. What would you tell someone who is about to run a whole nation?"

"First of all, who says that I will never see you again?" Iroh smiled at his misguided nephew. "Second, I will never stop giving you advice, _even_ if we never see each other again. And third, I meant what I just said."

Iroh sat down and cleared his throat.

"A nation is much like a living person. A creature can only stay alive if all of its body is functioning properly, meaning that it needs balance. You cannot sustain a nation is you focus only on its armies, or on its navy, or on any one thing. All things must be given an equal amount of time, in the same way a person gives time to his friends and his family and his job."

Zuko sipped his tea, memorizing each word his uncle said, at last realizing how important they were.

"Balance is the key to everything. You can never achieve _permanent_ balance, no matter what you do or how hard you try. Or do _not_ try, for that matter." Iroh paused again. It had become habitual. "But the important thing is to never stop trying to achieve that harmony. Just do what you need to do. Perform all actions with patience and wisdom. And do not forget who you are."

"Thank you uncle." Zuko smiled and sat up straighter, as if a weight had been lifted off his back.

"My pleasure, Fire Lord." Iroh bowed. Instead of receive the same a bow as deep, Zuko grabbed him and hugged him tightly.

Iroh never though he'd see the day that Zuko would hug him for a lecture, but Iroh also never thought that he'd reconquer Ba Sing Se either.


	104. Philosophy: Death

**Dedicated to my parents, who taught me so much. Dedicated to my teachers, who did not give up. Dedicated to my role models, who guided my way. Dedicated to my brother, who lit up my day.**

**And this is also dedicated to Iroh, who taught me more than I ever thought a cartoon could.**

* * *

**On Dying**

"Well?" Fire Lord Zuko asked.

"He's very cold…and he's having trouble keeping his eyes open." Avatar Aang paused and lowered his head. "He's ready."

Zuko inhaled.

"He wants to see you." Aang said, holding the curtain open. Zuko nodded and went inside. Aang closed the curtains behind him.

* * *

There he was, the mighty Dragon of the West, as frail and as weak as the day he was born. He had spent the last twenty six years of his life working in the little tea shop in Ba Sing Se, handling most of the work by himself. He even moved into the floor above it so he could keep an eye on it.

Zuko had not been there to see him ages. Now that Iroh was ready to leave the world of the living, Zuko regretted ever going away.

"Uncle?" Zuko asked to see if he was awake.

His wrinkled head lean toward the warm voice, shaking softly like a baby rattle.

"…there…is my nephew." Iroh's smile was as soft as a baby's. His gentle, warming eyes were the only other thing that did not age.

"Uncle, I'm so sorry." Zuko ran to his side, got down on his knees and grabbed his uncle's withered hand.

"Easy now, easy." Iroh spoke calmly, with no fear of his life ending.

"I should have come sooner." Zuko lowered his head.

"You were busy. Being Fire Lord is a great responsibility."

"I could have left earlier. I know I could have. Uncle, you mean so much to me." Zuko began to cry. "I don't want you to die."

"Why not?" Iroh asked with a cough.

"Because…" Zuko thought about it. "Because I need you here. I haven't learned enough from you."

Iroh laughed gently. It sounded like his lungs were hurting. "You silly boy. I was not there for decades…and you took care of our country. You did not fail me. You were able to walk on your own two feet without."

"Uncle…" Zuko didn't say anything.

"Zuko, do not be sad." Iroh spoke slowly, loosing strength with each word. "Death is not evil. It is not the enemy. It is as natural as puberty, as natural as aging, as natural as breathing. It is something everyone must do in life. This…is how it is supposed to be. Our role models, our parents, our mentors…they _need_ to leave us. Their purpose is not to always hold our hands, but to teach us how to walk on our own. It is essential that they do not stay forever, so that their survivors can move on." Iroh coughed heavily "And…and so their students can become teachers themselves."

"I…understand." Zuko _did_ understand, he _really_ did, but he still didn't like it.

"And besides…" Iroh smiled wider and closed his eyes, giggling to himself. "…death is not the end. Not really. Tell me Zuko, your favorite story when you were a boy, the one that inspired you…when did it end?"

"What?" Zuko gripped Iroh's hand tighter. "I don't understand."

"Your favorite story. You favorite adventure. The fable that changed your life. It will always be there. Even if the last chapter finishes, the Story does not end. Stories never end."

Iroh struggled to pull himself out of his covers. Zuko tried to push him down, but the Dragon was stubborn. He reached out with his boney finger, and touched Zuko's heart.

"It is here Zuko. That is where the Story stays. The characters that you loved, the ones that taught you and helped you through the hard times. They are always going to be right there." Iroh paused. "And so will I. Don't ever forget that."

Zuko's composure vanished. Like a river breaking through a weakened dam, he began to weep like a young child and hugged his uncle gently.

"There, there." Iroh patted his shoulder. Zuko remembered when Iroh would slap his back so hard that he'd nearly fall over. Now, Zuko felt a pat as gentle and as chilling as a breeze in winter.

"I don't want you to leave." Zuko's tears landed on his uncle's robe, the clothes that he'd be buried in.

"I know. And I don't really want to leave…now that you are here again." Iroh paused as Zuko cried. "But…there is one last thing I have to tell you. Before I have to go."

Iroh sat back down in his bed, preparing himself. He grabbed Zuko's still young hand and patted his knuckles.

"You have done something wonderful by being here, my boy. No man should die wondering what his legacy will be. I was not sure of what _my _legacy was going to be until I saw you. You being here means more to me than anything else. You have done more than you know by just _being_ here." Iroh smiled again. "I'm a happy man."

Zuko cried. He never felt so helpless before. He covered his eyes with his free hand, ashamed of his weakness. Blinded, he did not see Iroh close his own eyes.

"Thank you…for everything…" Zuko hesitated. He felt Iroh's hand become cold as ice. "…father. Thank you father. You were always...always..." Iroh's lungs emptied out, his final breath departing. Zuko sobbed and screamed into his palm.

* * *

Zuko would never know if Iroh heard what he said, that he was the _real_ father in his life, that he was the _real_ guardian. But a happy grin stayed on the old man's face even after his spirit left. And a tear on his cheek rolled down his wrinkles so slowly, like it was holding on long enough for Zuko to look down and see it.

Maybe Iroh _did_ hear him. Maybe he did not. Later, Aang would tell Zuko that Iroh already knew, regardless. And that he loved him.

After so many years of strife and pain, searching for wisdom and knowledge, becoming a legend and having a story so amazing that most would never believe it, the final page had turned.

The Dragon was finally gone.


End file.
